Kazuto's Magical Adventure
by ZuttoAragi
Summary: It was meant to be simple. Buy the new game and go home. But his helpful nature makes it not so simple. Now in a new world with a bitchy goddess, Kazuto needs to find a way back an - why is there a castle in the sky!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter I**

 **Howdy to all my readers! Yes, I have come bearing yet another new story... I'm sorry. Anyway, this time it is called Kazuto's Magical Adventure, as I am sure most of you saw. The story is an overall mixture of KonoSuba, DanMachi, and SAO with a few other shows mixed in with small amounts. The MC is, as the title suggests, Kazuto/Kirito depending on how much of Sword Art Online you have seen. As usual Bakuto Masaki is my coauthor on this endeavor, so I would like to thank him for his assistance thus far. So, I hope you all enjoy the chapter, leave your opinions letting me know if you do. With that said, on with the story!**

* * *

A young man with short, messy black hair and bright grey eyes wearing a black sweatshirt, dark blue trousers, and grey sneakers sat in a plain wooden chair. "Where am I…?" he muttered as he looked around. The chair he was sat in was in a seemingly endless expanse, a boundless black surrounding in all directions with a black and white tile floor extending in all directions. Opposite his chair was a tall, white, far more elaborate chair with a nightstand next to it, accents of lavender and gold standing out against the white.

"I suppose you could call this Purgatory, Kazuto Kirigaya" an enigmatic voice explained.

The teen, Kazuto, turned in surprise as a figure approached the set of chairs in the endless expanse, a young woman with long, bright blue hair, a large curl atop her head, her bangs framing around her dark blue eyes, wearing a sleeveless blue blouse, that hugged tight enough to show her moderate figure, with a pleated, layered, blue and yellow skirt, long white arm-warmers, and thigh-high, blue, high-heeled boots. He gulped slightly as he looked at her. ' _She's… kinda cute. Wait, Purgatory?_ ' "… Am I dead?"

The young woman sat down with a nod. "Yes. And I am the goddess who will help you decide where to go from here, Aqua."

Ignoring her introduction, Kazuto demanded, "How!?"

"You saw a girl about to get hit by a tractor and pushed her out of the way."

Kazuto bopped his fist into his hand in remembrance. "Oh, that's right! Wait, tractor? I thought it was a truck."

Aqua, her lip slightly quivering with suppressed laughter, replied loudly, "Nope! And you died of a heart attack from it!"

"What!?" Kazuto could not believe what he was hearing, to think he had died so lamely.

Aqua could no longer hold it and began laughing deeply at the teen's misfortune. "You had a heart attack because you thought you were run over by a truck! You had the stupidest expression I ever saw! Even the surgeons laughed at you!"

"Stop laughing!" Kazuto growled, his scowl weakened by his reddening face.

"I bet even your sisters are laughing their – eep!" Aqua's laughter halted quickly as she suddenly saw the death glare from Kazuto.

"I don't care who you are, don't insult my sisters like that!"

Aqua tried to defuse the moment with a weak laugh. "Geez! It was just a joke!"

" _Still_!I know Suguha! She'd never laugh at this!"

She slouched in her chair with a sigh of exhaustion. "Yeesh, you humans are always ssoo dramatic."

Kazuto's eyebrow began twitching in frustration. "Send me back."

Bluntly the bluenette rebutted, "Nope. Can't do that." A bag of crisps appeared on the nightstand next to her as she added, "I don't make the rules." She munched mindlessly on them as she continued. "You get two choices."

Kazuto deadpanned, "If it's heaven or becoming a baby I'm shoving your head in that bag."

Aqua remained silent before making the bag vanish.

"Oh come on!"

"Th – There is technically a third choice…"

"Talk. Now."

Clearing her throat, Aqua began. "Ahem! A world of magic and monsters! Men and elves! A world besieged by the dark clouds of the cursed Demon King!"

Kazuto was unimpressed by her attempt at dramatic flair. "… What will I get out of it?"

Aqua nodded in acceptance. "If you kill the Demon King the Chief God will grant you one wish, no matter what it is. You can even go back to your old life."

"Send me," he urged bluntly.

Aqua almost hit the floor at how fast he accepted the proposal. She managed to collect herself somewhat. "You really shouldn't go unprepared." She waved her hand, causing a large number of cards to appear from nowhere and land in front of Kazuto. "Here, a few examples. Anything you want or can think of. If it's on these cards or in your imagination, you can bring it with you into this new world. It can be a weapon, a power or ability, some kind of knowledge, or even a person. So, choose wisely and choose quickly, I have more people to ferry off."

Kazuto looked over the cards, representing numerous historical figures, mythological weapons, fantastical monsters, and more before looking at Aqua in thought. ' _A goddess from there would be a major help…_ ' "You."

"Heaven has – what?" she began rehearsed before registering what he had said.

At that same moment, a flurry of lights entered the room and formed a new person, a girl that looked slightly younger than Kazuto with white hair and lavender eyes, clad in an outfit resembling a nun's clothing, though it clung tightly under her bulging twins. "Heaven has heard your request and agreed to the contract."

Aqua gaped as she looked at the girl. "What!? No, that can't be right!"

"Who's the cutie?" Kazuto asked, seemingly unfazed by Aqua's shrieks before realizing he and Aqua were surrounded by large, elaborate emblems filled with light.

Aqua begged the white-haired girl, "Eris! This can't be happening!"

Eris explained, "Taking a deity with him is allowed in the rules. So, it is happening." She smiled happily and waved to the duo as they were consumed in light. "Don't worry Aqua-Senpai, I'll keep your post while you're gone. Have fun in the other world."

" _NNNOOO_!" Aqua wailed as the two vanished.

* * *

Sometime later, Aqua and Kazuto were dropped off by a horse drawn carriage at the entrance to a massive wall.

Kazuto looked around in curious amazement while Aqua drooped her head in despair. "Wow… It's awesome here! Right, so let's start our –" he was interrupted mid-sentence as Aqua began throttling him desperately, wailing madly. "H – Hey! Stop it!" he urged, Aqua unresponsive as blubbered and wailed incoherently. "I said stop! If people see me with some crazy woman…!"

She did not stop.

Kazuto growled in frustration and raised a fist. "Okay, you asked for it." He lightly thumped his balled fist atop her head, causing her to come to her senses at least somewhat and stumble back with a tear in her eye.

"Ow!"

"Now, stop freaking out on me or I'll hit you again."

"You're a human, how do you hit that hard?"

"I just can."

"Well it's still your fault I'm stuck here!"

Kazuto huffed in derision. "What are you complaining about? You're a Goddess and going to be a big help. Besides, if it bothers you that much go back."

Aqua scratched her head furiously. "You idiot! That's just it, I _can_ ' _t_ go back! Not until you've completed your mission! And in this world deities interact with humans all the time, we're barred from using our divine powers!"

Kazuto stiffened and turned to her suddenly in disbelief. "… You're serious…?"

Aqua growled in exasperation. "Very! A goddess in this world isn't much better than a regular human! So I can't even use my divine powers to get back thanks to you!"

"Why didn't you tell me!?"

"You didn't really give me time to say anything!"

"… Meaning you're even more useless then you where before. Great."

"Well it's your fault!"

"How?" he argued, frustrated. "You're a _goddess_! Goddesses are _supposed_ to be infinitely useful!"

"Well in this world that's not the case!"

"Oh quit shouting already, it's not going to do anyone any good. Come on, let's go find a guild."

Aqua blinked in confused surprise. "Huh?"

"Whenever the game starts out you need to find the guild hall to join a guild and start taking quests. More importantly if we go there we can gather information and about the Demon King and how to get to him."

Aqua lurched back in shock. "Y – You're actually… dependable…?"

Kazuto, trying to ignore her remark, turned and began walking through the city's large gate. "Now let's get going, Goddess."

Aqua smiled slightly and followed behind him. "You can keep calling me Goddess if you want, but my name's Aqua."

"Okay then, Aqua."

The blue-haired girl pouted slightly. "You could at least give me an honorific."

"Either follow me or go on your own."

"C – Coming!" she exclaimed as she caught up to him.

* * *

The two spent a long time searching around the city, eventually realizing the gate they had come in was the city's southern entrance. As they wandered, Kazuto soon learned the city was one large circle with eight main roads dividing it up.

After several hours passed they found the main commercial road, West Main, and approached a large building halfway down the length of the road, made primarily out of marble, a massive building nearly ten meters tall.

Kazuto looked around for various signs, only seeing one atop it reading "Guild" in a language he had never seen. "Wait… I can read that?"

Aqua nodded in return. "One of the things that happened when we got transported here is that all the language of this world was implanted in your head."

He raised an eyebrow in thought. "Anything else?"

"No, because you didn't pick anything else."

"Ah… Is this it? It's just called the Guild. Oh well. Easy to remember." The duo walked inside, seeing dozens of people wandering through the building, some talking with each other, others talking with the people on the other side of the large counter, those being people of various races dressed in suits. "There's so many people here. They must be busy."

"Oh, hello there," a new voice greeted.

Kazuto turned and stiffened as he saw a young woman with short, chestnut brown hair, emerald green eyes with round, frameless glasses over them, wearing a plain, black suit with white sleeves, though what struck him most were the wide, pointed ears sticking out under her hair. ' _A – A real… elf…? So amazing…_ ' "Beautiful…"

The elf blinked in confusion and then smiled as she looked around at the Guild's walls. "Yes, the Guild is a beautiful building."

Kazuto stiffened slightly and sputtered in confusion. "Um… that's not… nevermind. How do we join the Guild?"

The woman turned her attention back to Kazuto and Aqua. "Oh, you're looking to join?" She pointed to a woman left of the entrance to the building standing in front of a counter. "Talk to Luna. She facilitates any quests along with new members. Oh, and I'm Eina by the way."

Kazuto nodded as he turned to leave. "Thank you Eina. I'm Kazuto."

Eina nodded with a smile. "Hopefully we'll do more business later."

As the two approached the woman at the counter, Kazuto got a better look at her. A tall, buxom woman with long blonde hair tied in a bun and matching amber eyes, wearing a white choker with a red ribbon, a ridiculously low-cut, long-sleeved white blouse that barely hid her generous bust, extremely short, blue shorts that showed he long legs, and simple brown boots. The teen gulped as he approached the woman. ' _Th – This is… going to be a hard world to get used to…_ ' "Um, excuse me," he called out to her.

Luna turned in thought and saw the duo. "Oh, you want to join? Are you part of a Familia?"

Kazuto blinked and tilted his head in confusion. "A… A what?"

"I'll… take that as a no. Well, if you're not part of a Familia, the admission price is one hundred eighty Vals per person."

Kazuto stiffened in shock. "I – I see… Aqua, money?"

Aqua shook her head in denial. "You took me away so fast I didn't have time to grab anything."

"… Could I possibly form a whateveria with you?"

"I was never taught how."

"Is there _anything_ you _can_ do!?"

Aqua wordlessly answered by shooting a small stream of water from one of her fingers.

"Great… If we're lost in a desert I know where to get a drink…" After a heavy sigh, he turned back to Luna. "How would we go about joining a Familia?"

Luna explained, "Um…well I guess you could just go around to the various small shops and taverns and see if any gods are there, maybe they'll… take pity on you?"

Kazuto groaned in frustration. "Well… That's probably the best we can hope for."

Aqua gaped in disbelief. "Hah!? I'm supposed to join another deity's Familia!?"

"You can do whatever you want. So later," he grunted as he headed for the door to leave.

Aqua groaned in annoyance and raced after. "… Wait for me!"

* * *

Aqua stood in an alleyway as Kazuto was thrown bodily out of a small shop, hitting the wall roughly. "That's rejection number four… even my charms wouldn't do anything…" Aqua complained.

"They are probably the reason for it…"

Aqua twitched an eyebrow in frustration. "Do you have anything positive to say!?"

Kazuto stood with a sigh, dusting himself off and hummed in consideration.

"You seriously have to think about it!?"

"With you? Yes. Here I thought having a goddess by my side would actually be helpful, and come to find out a blind dog would serve me better."

Aqua flinched back and slumped her shoulders.

Kazuto remained silent for a moment and sighed as he scratched his head in frustration. "Um… sorry, about that. I'm just frustrated. I really thought I was giving myself an edge by taking a goddess with me."

Aqua looked at him in surprise. "R – Really…?"

He nodded plainly. "Yes, you said I could take anything with me, any weapon, skill, ability, knowledge, or person. And my first thought was 'What better aid than an immortal being'."

"I – I see…"

"Anyway, let's keep the discussion short now, after all, our observer is getting too curious."

"Eh?"

"Eep!" a small voice shrieked nearby.

Kazuto swiftly turned and saw a girl with long, glossy black hair tied in twintails with ribbons attached to bells, bright sapphire blue eyes, wearing an extremely tight, very short, white dress with a blue ribbon looped around her arms, back and waist, long white gloves, and white sandals, though what stood out most was, despite her childish appearance overall, were her voluptuous breasts. "Whoa…"

Aqua gaped in shock. "H – Huh!? Hestia!?"

The girl, Hestia, looked at Aqua in surprise. "Huh? Aqua?"

Kazuto looked between the two in confusion. "Wait, you know her?"

"Of course. She's one of the goddesses from that place your people call Greece."

"Ah…" Kazuto blinked in thought and then looked directly at the smiling Hestia. "Um, I know it's sudden, but can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?" Hestia answered.

"Can we join your Familia?" he asked bluntly.

Hestia looked at the two of them in disbelief. "… Heh?"

"Can we… join your Familia…?"

Hestia's eyes widened in disbelief with a bright smile as she tackled Kazuto in a hug. "Really!? Really, really!? You want to join my Familia!?"

Kazuto merely gazed at the overly excited goddess in amazement and nodded. "Yes. We do."

Hestia tightened her hug greatly, unwittingly pressing her orbs firmer against Kazuto's body. "Yyaayy! Thank you!"

Aqua lurched back from the young-looking woman in disbelief. "She's… a little creepy."

Kazuto chuckled as he patted Hestia's head. "She's adorable…"

Hestia looked up at him, having not heard what he had said over her own cheers. "Huh?"

Kazuto waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing. So, um… how do we join your Familia?"

"Well, first we introduce ourselves."

"R – Right… but, um, could you get off me first?" he sputtered as his face reddened.

"Sure," Hestia answered cheerily as she stood.

Kazuto sighed as he stood as well. "I'm Kazuto Kirigaya."

"I'm Aqua," the blue-haired goddess greeted.

"I'm Hestia!" the black-haired goddess added excitedly.

"So… that's it?" Kazuto questioned.

"Not quite. Then I have to give you a Falna. A seal on your back that allows some of my divine power to flow through your body. Let's see, how did Hephaestus put it? It lets me see all of your Stats, your Level, and keep an accurate measurement of your Skills and abilities."

"Cool…" ' _It really is like a video game._ ' "How do you do that?"

"I put a drop of my blood on your back. But… you have to be shirtless for it so we should get to my home first."

"Right, lead the way, my Goddess."

Hestia squealed with excitement.

* * *

Later on, the trio wound up in front of a large, beaten, old church between West Main and Northwest Main.

"I'm sorry it's not much but this is where I live," Hestia explained.

Kazuto remarked, "I think it's fine."

Aqua looked around in shock.

"Um, Aqua…?"

Aqua turned to him with a weak, trembling smile. "This church… This… old… rotting… piece of crap church… it's a church of me…"

"Ouch…"

"S – Sorry…" Hestia pleaded with a bow.

Aqua sighed in frustration. "I – It's okay…"

"A – Anyway, the room is just back here," she noted as she walked towards a door at the back of the church's main area, leading to a small staircase leading into a slightly larger room with a large, square-shaped area containing a dresser just to the right of the room, to sofas on the opposite wall against the corners, a table in between, and a bed and several bookcases nestled in a section that jutted off from the main part.

Aqua looked over the tiny room before questioning, "… Um… where are we supposed to sleep?"

Kazuto piped up with his recommendation. "I'll take a couch."

"Really?" Hestia responded in surprise.

"Yeah, it's fine."

"… Guess I'll take the other one." Aqua groaned as she accepted the other sofa.

"Sounds good," he added.

Hestia nodded in understanding. "Okay, so who will I give the Falna to first?"

Kazuto shrugged before easily pulling his shirt off, exposing his torso. "Guess I'll go first."

' _Wh – Whoa…_ ' Aqua muttered in her head as she looked at him.

Hestia stood unsteadily, fidgeting and blushing before pointing to the bed. "J – Just lay on the bed on your stomach and I'll handle the rest," which Kazuto did before Hestia moved and sat on his back. ' _His shoulders are so broad…_ ' "N – Now then…" She pulled one of her white gloves off and bit her thumb, allowing a single droplet to hit his back that then spread out into a large, complex emblem filled with many symbols and words seemingly only Hestia could read. "Whoa…"

"Is something wrong?" Kazuto question in concern.

Hestia shook her head before explaining, "W – Well, the way the Falna usually forms it examines your body and gives a rating on your ability for Level One. And usually most people start out at high I or low H. B – But you, you've already got it at medium F."

"I don't get it."

Hestia sighed in vexation before seeing a book on the shelf. "Um… Aqua, could you get that book there?"

Aqua looked over and grabbed a book labeled "Adventurer's Handbook" and gave it to Hestia.

Hestia paged through the book looking for what she wanted before finding it. "Um… ah, here! In each level, each Stat is given a number and letter rating. From highest to lowest it's S, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I, with the numbers going from one to ninety-nine for I and nine hundred to nine hundred ninety-nine for S."

Aqua huffed in derision. "Well I'm sure I'll be even stronger."

* * *

Shortly after finishing applying Aqua's Falna, Hestia explained, "Miss Aqua has most Stats around low G."

"The hell!?" Aqua shrieked as Kazuto very ineffectively held back his laughter. "That can't be right!"

Hestia lurched back in worry as Aqua yelled. "I – I'm sure after some training it'll go up. Although, your Intelligence is rated as I-10."

Kazuto could no longer hold back and laughed gutturally. "HAHAHA! Oh my god that thing's right on the mark! Hahahaha!"

Aqua turned to him with a frustrated tear in her eye. "Ggrr… shut up!"

Hestia merely tilted her head in confusion.

Kazuto sighed as he stood up and stretched. "So now we head back to the Guild. And get us registered."

Hestia nodded in agreement. "I'll go with you to prove you're part of my Familia." The goddess giggled quietly in excitement. "I actually have a Familia…"

Kazuto turned to her in thought. "Hmm? You say something Hestia-Sama?"

Hestia shook her head with a smile of excitement. "No, it's nothing. Let's go!"

"Right…" Aqua murmured in dejection.

* * *

Luna, waiting at her counter, turned when she noticed Kazuto and the others approaching. "Ah, welcome back! Oh, you have someone new."

Kazuto motioned to Hestia and explained, "This is Hestia-Sama, Aqua and I are now part of her Familia."

Luna nodded with a smile and grabbed a blue orb and motioned towards Hestia. "Great to hear! I just need Hestia-Sama to confirm it." She held the orb out and it glowed to life, a menu with many symbols appearing in the air above it.

"Awesome…"

Hestia pressed a few of the symbols before nodding in acceptance. "And done."

Luna nodded and put the ball away. "And with that you're both in the Guild. All that's left is to assign you a representative."

Kazuto put a hand on his chin in thought. "How about that elf girl. Eina I think her name is."

Luna smiled in amusement and nodded. "I'll see if she's available."

"Thanks."

* * *

Shortly later, Eina looked at Kazuto and the others in surprise. "Me?"

"Yep," Luna answered with an amused smile.

"Is that okay?" Kazuto asked in concern.

"Y – Yes!" Eina stuttered.

Kazuto nodded with a relieved sigh. "Glad to hear it. Is there a fee?"

"Oh, right, five percent on any earnings you get from the Dungeon."

"Sounds reasonable."

Eina looked over Kazuto and Aqua in worry. "Um… do you plan on going into the Dungeon like that?"

"Dungeon?"

"You… don't know what it is?"

"No."

"Ah…"

Luna smiled playfully. "This would be your chance, Eina."

"Right…" Eina muttered before turning to Kazuto. "Follow me for a moment."

Kazuto nodded and followed her out of the building, where she then pointed to the massive tower in the center of the city.

"The tower in the center of the city is Babel, it acts as the lid to the Dungeon. And the upper floors are where the Hephaestus Familia sell their wares."

Kazuto raised an eyebrow in thought. "Hephaestus Familia?"

Eina frowned in concern. "Do you… know anything about Orario?"

The teen blinked in realization. "Oh, so that's what it's called."

Eina gaped slightly. "… Oh dear. Okay, guess I'll have to explain the basics about the city then?"

"That'd be helpful."

"Right… well come this way."

The group shortly sat at a small set of tables off to the side within the Guild, away from the main business area.

Kazuto remained quiet as Eina sat with a hand on her chin. "Um… is something wrong, Eina?"

"No," she answered with a shake of her head. "I'm just trying to decide how to explain Orario to you, I've never been faced with explaining it to someone who knows absolutely nothing about the city."

"Oh…"

"How did you even get here if you don't know anything?"

"Got dropped here."

"Dropped?"

"Yeah."

"I… see… well, guess I'll start from the beginning. The Dungeon, or more appropriately the Dungeon Labyrinth, has always been here. At some point the tower, Babel, was built atop of it to keep the Monsters sealed inside. Eventually, due to people wanting to test their skill against the Monsters, the city sprung up around the Dungeon."

"Interesting."

"At some point in the past, the gods and goddesses descended from their world to ours to interact and have fun with us, as they put it. To keep things relatively even they set it so they couldn't be too much stronger than the mortals of this world."

"Wow," Kazuto muttered as he continued to listen.

"And that's where the Familias come from. The deities grant a small portion of their power to a mortal in the form of the Falna, and in return the mortals within the Familia, called their Children, help take care of them. Normally this takes the form of giving some of their earnings to the deity, or helping them with tasks the deity themselves aren't capable or knowledgeable to do."

"I see."

"The Guild handles all of those matters and makes sure there aren't any conflicts between Familias. We also handle the exchange rates of Magic Stones and Drop Items."

Kazuto remained silent for a moment.

"Oh, right. The Monsters in the Dungeon, when killed, dissolve into ashes and leave behind purple crystals filled with mana called Magic Stones. And occasionally, if the Monster is stronger than normal, excess mana will be stored somewhere in its body, meaning when they dissolve that chunk of their body will remain, a Drop Item."

"Amazing…"

"That's the basis of how Adventurers make money. They slay Monsters in the Dungeon, and then trade in the Magic Stones and Drop Items for Val."

"Good to know."

"So, if you're going to go into the Dungeon you'll need at least a weapon."

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. "Right… Got any cheap ones?"

Eina put a finger on her chin in consideration. "Hm… I believe the Guild provides a set of armor and any weapon within a certain price range to beginning Adventurers."

"Perfect!" he cheered in relief.

Eina chuckled lightly at his excitement. "Right, there's a small shop we generally use, I'll show you the way."

* * *

The group soon made their way towards the far edge of West Main, close to the western gate, in front of a small shop with the sign "Wiz's Shop" hanging above the door.

Kazuto scratched his head, wracking his brain in thought as he looked at it. "Huh… that name…"

Eina noticed his consternation with slight worry. "Something wrong?"

The teen shook his head in denial. "No. Just could have sworn I heard the name Wiz before."

Eina focused her gaze on him, not expecting that response. "Really? Well the owner of this shop came to Orario a couple months ago, and has a contract with the Guild. She provides starting Adventurers with basic equipment and resources, and in return the Guild funds her research."

"Research? Into what?"

Eina shrugged, unable to provide him an answer. "Nobody knows. Only the head of the Guild's ruling Familia knows."

"Boring…" Aqua groaned.

Kazuto chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, we're almost done," he eased before the group walked inside.

"Miss Wiz! Are you here?" Eina called out loudly as the entered the building, a long counter at the back across from the door, nooks filled with various items lining the adjacent walls, and multiple glass-lined shelves to one side of the room, a single table and two chairs next to the sole window in the establishment.

Kazuto stood silently for several moments. "Guess she's –" he began before the group heard a loud crash from the back of the room.

After a short pause a figure walked out from the back door.

Kazuto paled in disbelief as he saw the figure, a beautiful young woman with pale white skin and hip-length, bright brown, wavy hair, a portion of her bangs covering her right eye, both being bright amber, clad in a tight-fitting, ankle-length, violet robe with gold and lavender accents, her immense bosom bulging from the outfit. ' _This can't be happening… Why… no,_ how _is_ she _here!? Why is one of Maou's Eight Generals here!? I thought they only existed in Yggdrasil! What the hell's going on!? This can't be happening!_ '

Eina looked at Kazuto in slight concern and tried to rouse him. "Mr. Kazuto? Reality to Mr. Kazuto!"

The teen winced and turned to her in surprise. "H – Huh?"

"Is something wrong? You look ill."

"N – No, I'm fine…"

"Are they new Adventurers?" Wiz redirected.

Eina responded to the brunette's question with a nod. "Yes. Well, these two are." She then motioned to Hestia. "This is Hestia, head of the Hestia Familia."

Kazuto sighed subtly in relief. ' _Well… at the very least she doesn't seem to recognize me…_ '

"Ah," Wiz hummed as she looked the duo over before Eina continued.

"This is Kazuto Kirigaya and Aqua. They need equipment."

"Um… a sword should be enough for me," he requested plainly.

"Um, okay. Right. This way. Hm…" Wiz hummed as she went into the back of her shop and came out with a long, double-edge sword. It was covered in rust and severely weathered, but Kazuto could still tell it was a weapon the color of bright gold, an emerald colored guard at the hilt. "Will this do?"

"It's perfect," he answered before accepting the weapon.

"Need armor?"

"No, that's okay. The sword is enough. I want to earn everything else on my own."

"Oh. Okay."

Kazuto's thoughts raced as he looked at Wiz, still wondering how she was there.

Unbeknownst to him, however, his face had turned into a shallow frown, making the busty brunette rather uncomfortable as she fidgeted timidly. "Wh – What is it?"

He stiffened and shook his head free of the thoughts. "U – Uh, nothing. Sorry. How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, nothing. I provide one weapon and set of armor free of charge. That's the agreement."

"Oh. Right…"

"Then I'll take – !" Aqua began to ask excitedly before Kazuto interrupted.

"A staff."

Aqua looked at him with a disapproving frown. "Huh?! But I want –!"

"Something far too expensive. So give her a basic staff."

Wiz nodded and headed to the back room of her store once more before returning with a long, white staff with a top shaped like a large rose.

Aqua pouted as she accepted the weapon. "It's…"

"Perfectly fine. If you earn enough money you can buy a new one," Kazuto chided.

"Right…"

Eina nodded in acceptance. "That should be enough to at least start delving into the Dungeon."

"Glad to hear it. I wonder what this sword is called," Kazuto wondered as he held the sword.

Aqua chided, "It's scrap metal. Doubt it has a name."

 **"Bitch,"** a new voice chastised.

Aqua looked at Kazuto with anger. "What'd you call me?!"

Kazuto turned to her in confusion. "Call you what?"

 **"Don't give him the credit dumbass,"** the same voice growled.

"Stop that!"

"I didn't say anything!"

 **"He's right bedwetter."**

The group all looked at the sword in Kazuto's grip as it spoke.

"You can talk!?" Kazuto howled.

 **"What gave it away? Me talking?"**

Aqua turned to Kazuto and teased, "Great. You just attract weird."

 **"Coming from you that's a compliment."**

"You're mouthy for a plank of steel, sword."

 **"And you talk big for a wet noodle. And the name's Excalibur. It's not my real name but worms like you aren't worthy of that."**

Kazuto blinked in surprise at the sword's proclamation. "Wait, as in the legendary Holy Sword?"

 **"Yes, the same,"** Excalibur answered politely.

Aqua twitched an eyebrow furiously. "Oy! How come you're polite to him and rude to me?!"

 **"For reasons beyond the comprehension of a lowly goddess like you. So try to be good and zip it."**

Kazuto frowned slightly in concern. "Um… I know Aqua can be a bit abrasive but she is a friend of mine, so try not to be too rude."

 **"How quickly do you make new friends?"**

He raised an eyebrow in mild bewilderment but answered anyway. "I try to make friends as fast as possible and avoid making enemies if I can."

The sword remained silent.

"Ex?"

 **"Idiot."**

"That was needlessly harsh."

Aqua sighed before redirecting, "Hey! I know, let's take some simple quests to get started on cash."

 **"Good thinking Copper Plate."**

"Hah?"

Kazuto blinked in confusion. "… What's that supposed to mean?"

Eina gasped in shock. "Oh no! I forgot to give you your rank badges!"

"Huh?"

"You see, Adventurers have Levels. One through Eight. So that others can tell your Level at a glance, Adventurers receive badges made of different materials. Level One Adventurers get Copper Badges. Going up from there is Iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Mythril, Orichalcum, and finally Adamantite for the highest ranked Adventurers. Now, let's head back to the Guild and I'll give you your badges, since you need to present them to accept a quest."

"Right. Let's do some quests then. We need to fix up the church and get food and supplies after all. Hestia-Sama, why don't you return to the church? Aqua and I will start taking some quests."

Hestia nodded with a big smile and ran off towards the church.

Kazuto turned on his heels towards the Dungeon. "Now let's go Aqua."

Aqua frowned in annoyance. "Hey, you can't –" she retaliated before he interrupted her.

"I'm not ordering you, I'm suggesting. Believe it or not, I don't get some sick thrill out of you being stuck in this world when you don't want to be."

 **"Speak for yourself,"** Excalibur grunted, garnering it a whack from Kazuto.

Aqua blinked in surprise at his remark. "Huh?"

"You heard me. While I did originally choose you to go with me partly to get back at you for taunting me I ignored that quickly. I thought having a goddess alongside me would help, I had no idea you'd be rendered powerless on this world."

Aqua widened her eyes in shock. "You… brought me along because you thought I'd be a boon?"

Kazuto nodded in agreement. "That was the goal. But since that's obviously not the case, it'd be best for both of us if we work on building up some funds and some connections to find out where the Demon King is. The quicker we do that the faster we can both go home."

"… R – Right…"

"How long are you going to just stand there staring?"

"U - Uh, right! Coming!"

* * *

The group then made their way back to the Guild, Aqua and Kazuto waiting for Eina to return with their badges.

Eina then came running up to the duo. "Here they are!"

Kazuto held the small, wide metal badge in his hand as Aqua held hers. "These are the Copper Badges?"

Eina nodded in reply. "Yes. Now, you can go on any quest you want, but most requests indicate the suggested Rank for the Adventurer. Most are Copper or Iron, but a few require higher than that."

"Good to know."

"Though taking quests is a real slog, and money comes slowly. So it's usually best to stick to diving into the Dungeon."

Luna then approached the group, having overheard their conversation. "Quests? Well aside from just turning in Stones from the monsters there aren't numerous quests available. Most of the monsters around Orario are gone. There certainly are a few up there if you want to try it. They're on that board over there."

"Right then…" Kazuto muttered as he went to the quest board and looked over the fliers on it. "Hm… not much here."

"Ooh! Look, this one's paying two hundred thousand Vals!"

Kazuto read the request thoroughly. "From the description of this beast we'd get butchered in a heartbeat. So no." He looked over the quests more and picked up one in particular. "Kill five giant toads in three days. Hm… that doesn't sound too bad. We'll do this one."

Aqua pouted in annoyance. "But it only pays two hundred fifty Vals."

"When you're just starting out in a game you have to take the low-paying, easy quests to build yourself up before you can tackle the high paying quests. Otherwise you'd get massacred."

His explanation caused Aqua to lurch back in fear.

However, Kazuto soon fell into thought as he put a hand on his chin. "Hmm…"

"What is it?"

"Something's been bothering me for a little while."

 **"Wiz's cup size?"** Excalibur teased, gaining another whack from Kazuto.

"Sh – Shut up," he stammered with a blush. He then turned to Aqua. "You said that you can't use your divine powers here, right?"

"Yes."

"And that gods are commonplace here, correct?"

 **"Oh big time."**

"Yep."

"Why?"

"A few hundred years ago, a bunch of the gods and goddesses decided it'd be fun to come down to this world and help the mortals delving into the Dungeon and trying to make it big. But to even the playing field the Chief God put a seal on this world that prevents a deity from accessing any powers that a mortal wouldn't be able to somehow use."

 **"Shows what gods know about mortals,"** Excalibur chastised.

"So… why not learn mortal abilities and become strong again?"

"Because I'm not interested in staying here! I'm only here until you beat the Demon King, then I'm going back to Valhalla."

 **"In other words a lazy, useless bitch."**

Kazuto snarled, "Enough Wo –… Excalibur. Look, I really don't care that you're lazy, but get past it long enough for us to get out of here. Okay?"

 **"You really expect her to try?"**

"Would you please shut up for a little bit?" he snarled.

Aqua sighed in exasperation. "… Okay. If you really think it'll help."

"I do. Now, let's go."

* * *

Outside the city, Kazuto and Aqua made their way to the location specified in the request to find the beasts responsible, the "giant toads". What they found was not what they expected.

Kazuto huffed and panted as he fled from an immense green toad. "You've gotta be friggin' kidding me!"

Excalibur, however, was laughing maniacally as Aqua felt from a similarly massive pink toad. **"Run, Aqua, run! That way you'll be fast food!"**

"Oh shut up you stupid sword!" Aqua shrieked.

 **"I'm not the idiot that bought my lie on the frogs not going to eat ya!"**

"In case you forgot, I'm here too you insufferable witch!" Kazuto howled as he dodged a strike from the toad's tongue.

 **"But you have me my Lord!"**

"And a whole lot of good that's doing me right now!" Kazuto turned and smacked away the extending muscle. ' _Dammit… my body feels so heavy…_ '

 **"Me thinks you should try fighting."**

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow at the sword. "With something that big? One wrong step and it'd swallow me whole."

 **"It's a frog. Just a big one."**

Kazuto remained silent and tightened his grip on Excalibur.

 **"What?"**

An excited smirk formed on his face as he pulled his sword back and raised his left hand. "Guess it's worth a shot…" In that moment he burst forward at the giant toad.

The beast shot out its tongue at Kazuto, the teen ducking under the it before batting it away. He then grabbed its tongue and yanked, hurling himself up over its head, putting Excalibur into a reverse grip. "Die!" he howled before slamming the sword down, impaling its head and killing the beast before it collapsed, dead.

 **"Told ya,"** Excalibur noted plainly as Kazuto huffed.

"Wow… I didn't know I could move like that…"

 **"It's because of that goddess' inscription on your back."**

"Huh?"

 **"It enhances your abilities. Didn't she tell you that?"**

Kazuto frowned slightly. "No… she said it only measures them."

 **"Dumb goddess."**

Their conversation was interrupted as Aqua shrieked, the other toad coiling its tongue around her and yanking her back.

"Gah! Don't get eaten!" he hollered as he rushed over and jumped up, landing on its back and jabbing Excalibur deep into its skull.

Excalibur snickered as Kazuto pulled Aqua from the creature's mouth, covered in mucus and bawling.

"You alright?" Kazuto asked with worry, the blue-haired girl looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"No! I'm not alright! I'm covered in frog spit! I'm sticky and I stink! Imagine if my followers saw me like this! They'd lose all their faith!"

Excalibur hissed, **"Like your Cult is something people should join."**

Kazuto growled in irritation. "Seriously, not helping, so please, just for a bit, quiet." He then turned his attention back to Aqua. "Now come on, Aqua, you at least need to get back long enough to shower. If you don't you'll get sick."

* * *

Aqua sighed as she left the bathhouse, now cleaned of the toad's mess, Kazuto waiting on a bench nearby. "I can't believe that happened…"

He smiled apologetically and patted her shoulder lightly. "Well let's just hope it's the worst that happens."

 **"Don't you mean best?"** Excalibur taunted.

Kazuto groaned as he felt a cord in his mind snap. "Aqua, wait here," he ordered gruffly, pulling Excalibur from its sheath and heading into a dark alley before jamming the sword into the ground hard. "Okay, what's gotten into you, Wolbach?"

Excalibur, or rather, Wolbach, huffed dismissively. **"Seriously? You need to ask? I thought your first question be why the hell I'M TRAPPED IN A GODDAMN SWORD!"**

Kazuto shrugged flippantly. "I simply chocked it up to one of Wiz's failed experiments."

 **"Please. Wiz may be dense but she isn't this big a screw-up."**

The black-haired teen sighed and put a hand on his temple. "Hm… if I remember correctly, it was one of the player guilds that sealed you in that box to begin with, right? The something knights."

Kazuto couldn't see Wolbach's face, but he could almost hear her eyes rolling from within the sword. **"Don't know. But that's the past. The now though is that Aqua's little Cult group fucked me over. My Soul in a sword, my nature in a cat, and I haven't a damn clue where my body is."**

"I see… wait, cult? Hm… this isn't good, someone could hear us," he noted as he looked around suspiciously.

 **"Grab my hilt,"** Wolbach suddenly urged.

"… Hah?"

The sword snickered lightly. **"Get your head out of the gutter and just do it."**

He remained silently suspicious before grabbing the blade.

 **' _Can you hear me?_ ' **she asked, her voice now resonating in his head.

"Wh – What the…?" he stammered in shock. "In my mind…?"

 **' _Yes. As long as you're in contact with my vessel you can hear me in your head. Oh, and just think you're answers, we don't need the lower lifeforms getting suspicious._ '**

' _Right… now, explain about that cult._ '

 **' _They are called the Axis Cult, and they worship Aqua. They also are the ones who, after I was freed from that original prison, split me into pieces. So you can see why I detest Aqua, Lord Momonga._ '**

Kazuto remained silent as he observed Aqua nearby. ' _Maybe… Aqua doesn't strike me as the type to do that though._ '

Wolbach remained silent before grunting in disbelief. **' _… Hah?_ '**

' _I mean she doesn't seem to have enough foresight for that kind of plan. Besides, there's one really big problem with that._ '

 **' _Eh?_ ' **Wolbach muttered in bewilderment.

' _According to Aqua herself, she's been sealed up in Purgatory, handling Reincarnation for several thousand years. Which even if we apply the time dilation Yggdrasil and SAO have is long before Ulbert created you and the rest. So, while I'm not doubting you about those religious zealots, chances are Aqua didn't have any actual involvement in what they did. They probably just used her as a convenient excuse to do that. If it weren't her it'd have been a different deity. So try not to be so cruel to Aqua._ '

 **' _How can you say that? Do you actually feel sorry for her!?_ '**

Kazuto frowned guiltily. ' _Of course. I'm the reason she's trapped here._ '

 **' _You should be proud of that, Demon King!_ '**

' _Right… Demon… ah hell!_ '

 **' _What?_ '**

' _Okay… well, I don't know if you're aware, but Momonga, the Momonga you know… technically isn't real…'_

 ** _'Yes. All of us were aware of this. That Momonga is a Thought Projection you control with Mind Transfer Magic from another location._** **'**

' _Um… sure, let's go with that._ '

 **' _Still, it does not change the fact that you are Lord Momonga, leader of the Supreme Beings and ruler of all Nazarick._ '**

Kazuto was about to reply when he suddenly heard Aqua call out, "Oy! Kazuto, what's goin' on?"

He walked over to her, sheathing Wolbach. "U – Uh, sorry. I was just setting Excalibur straight."

"Good… because the sooner we kill the Demon King the sooner I can go back to Valhalla."

"R – Right…" ' _I'm doomed!_ '

* * *

Hestia looked over the small stack of silver coins in excitement. "Wow! You got this much!?"

Kazuto chuckled lightly in amusement. "You don't need to be this excited. It's less than one hundred Vals."

Hestia pouted slightly. "Aw… I was just excited my Familia's already making money."

"I see…"

 **' _Wait 'til she sees your treasury,_ '** Wolbach interjected.

' _I have to find Nazarick first. And that's if it even exists in this world._ ' "Oh, Hestia-Sama, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"How do we acquire skills?"

Hestia immediately sat up in realization. "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you that." She rushed back over to the book case, her chest swaying with each step, and grabbed the same book back out and return to the sofa with Aqua and Kazuto. "Every time you increase the letter grade of one of your Stats you get a Sacred Aura, and you use those to learn Skills."

Kazuto nodded in understanding. "Right, but how do we get them in the first place?"

"You have to learn them from someone else or from a book that teaches them, the Sacred Aura allows you to immediately master the Skill."

"Ah. Thanks. Can I still learn Skills without learning it from someone else?"

"Yes, as you develop your abilities as an Adventurer it's possible that you'll develop some innate Skills."

"Really? Interesting. Anyway, why don't we head for bed? Tomorrow Aqua and I are going to try and get a new party member so we can kill those toads more easily."

Hestia nodded in agreement and reached for one of the lights, turning them out.

* * *

The next morning, Kazuto finished tying his sword to his back and turned to Aqua. "Come on, let's head to the Guild." He then held up a paper flier and showed it to her. "I made this last night, I'm going to ask Luna if we can put it on the board."

Aqua read over it in curiosity. "Hm… small party of two looking for members. Current members are… swordsman and mage!? I'm a goddess you nitw –!"

Kazuto silenced her with a hand over her mouth. "Do you really want people to know you're a Goddess serving another Goddess?"

Aqua paled and then shook her head in depression.

 **"That could be fun,"** Wolbach snickered.

"No it wouldn't!"

 **"Then quit your whining."**

* * *

Luna looked over the flier in thought. "Hm… sure. I don't see a problem putting it up there."

Kazuto smiled in relief. "Really? That's great to hear."

Luna handed it back to him. "Just put it on the board, it'll stick on its own."

"Got it." Kazuto walked over to the board and put the paper on the board, it sticking without any tacks or tape. "That's pretty cool. Is the paper magnetic or something?"

 **"It's magic,"** Wolbach corrected harshly.

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow. "You saying that annoys me. Anyway, this quest says we have three days to kill all five toads, so we've only got two days left."

Aqua groaned heavily. "We'll never get someone else in time…"

"We can hope…"

* * *

Some time passed as the duo sat in the Guild's main hall, waiting.

"Um… Kazuto," Aqua muttered.

"Don't," he retorted bluntly.

"I think…"

"Don't say it."

"No one's coming…"

"I said don't."

 **"Geez… Can't we blow something up…?"**

Aqua huffed in frustration. "And here I thought anyone would love to join a party with me, the great Aqua-Sama."

 **"Man you're delusional."**

"The only church dedicated to you in this city is a crumbling ruin," Kazuto chided, causing her to fall to her knees in despair. "Besides, both of us just started as Adventurers a couple days ago, I doubt we'd get anyone willing to join us, especially not someone with any level of skill."

 **"Indeed Copper Plates."**

"Oh shut it…" Aqua pouted.

Suddenly, a new voice remarked, "I happened to notice your recruitment poster."

The duo both turned in surprise and saw a petite girl with short, messy brown hair and bright red eyes, one covered by a red eyepatch, wearing a long-sleeved, short, red dress with yellow accents, a belt hanging loosely around her waist, black, fingerless gloves, a brown cloak, a tall, lopsided, pointed brown hat with large red buttons, a thigh-high black stocking on one leg, bandages up to her thigh on the other leg, and orange boots, holding a long wooden staff with a red orb floating in the middle.

Kazuto gaped slightly in surprise. ' _Cute…_ '

 **' _You've got to be joking…_ '** Wolbach groaned.

' _Something wrong…?_ '

 **' _I know this girl._ '**

' _I see. Is that bad… or good…?_ '

 **' _… I think smarter than Aqua._ '**

"I assume you want to join then?"

The girl put a hand over her eye with a deep chuckle she was likely intending to be ominous. "That we would meet is a fate chosen by the world itself. I have anxiously awaited the arrival of those such as yourselves."

' _Is she…?_ '

 **' _Sadly…_ '** Wolbach groaned.

Megumin flared her arm out with a wide smirk. "My name is Megumin! My calling is that of an arch wizard, one who controls explosion magic, the strongest of all offensive magics!"

Kazuto chuckled weakly as a nervous drop of sweat fell down his cheek.

 **"She's one of those annoying Crimson Demons"**

"Oh. Welcome aboard."

"Seriously?!" Megumin and Wolbach exclaimed in simultaneous shock.

Kazuto nodded plainly. "Yeah."

Megumin returned to her standard persona and continued dramatically, "Do you too, desire my forbidden strength, which is so almighty, I've been ostracized by the whole world?"

Wolbach grumbled in irritation. **"Oh boy. Don't let her f –"**

"Yes," Kazuto answered simply.

"Then show me thine resolve to peer into the ultimate abyss with me!"

Aqua frowned in frustration at her constant dramatics. "Are you just here to make fun of us?"

"No way!" she argued desperately.

Aqua blinked in realization as she looked at the girl. "Wait. That red eye, you're a Crimson Demon, aren't you?"

 **"I said that already, you dumdum."**

"Shut it rusty!"

Megumin smirked confidently. "Indeed! I am –!"

Kazuto suddenly interrupted her. "While I'm happy you want to join us, could you stop with all the elaborate speeches and posing?"

Megumin face-faulted in exasperation as Wolbach snickered in amusement.

Megumin attempted to stand but then immediately collapsed, Kazuto rushing to her side. "Hey! Are you alright?!"

"I haven't eaten in three days…" she groaned.

"… Why?"

Aqua tilted her head in thought. "You know, Crimson Demons are born with high intelligence and lots of magic power. They also tend to have weird names."

 **"Intelligence does not equal wisdom. I.e. common sense."**

"Calling my name weird is rude, you know. From my point of view, it's everyone else whose names are weird."

Kazuto frowned slightly and challenged, "Okay… then how about your parents?"

Megumin stood with a smirk and declared confidently, "My mother is Yuiyui and my father Hyoizaburo!"

The others merely sat, perplexed at her display.

"Oh… here!" Megumin grumbled as she handed a copper plate to Kazuto.

* * *

 **And finito! Thus ends the first chapter. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it. Be sure to leave a review letting me know if you did. If you were unsure, confused, or simply have questions about anything be sure to leave a review letting me know and I will do what I can to address your concerns in a reviewer response. If you did not enjoy the chapter, leave your objections and, depending on how... intelligible they are I will respond. Anyway, I have nothing else to say here, so until the next chapter, bye-bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II**

 **Hello! I am back with another chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure. I hope everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, and many of you did, which I love to see. I equally hope you enjoy this one as well. So be sure to leave a review if you do. At any rate, I would like to thank my coauthor Bakuto Masaki for all of his help with the story as usual. That said, let us move on to the reviewer responses!**

 **Alex DarkFire: Yes, I assure you it's Aqua I'm talking about. And I shall do just that.**

 **Tama Saga: Well strap in, because there's more to come later. Though I mean much, much later.**

 **gera2306: Well aren't we a smart cookie? That I did.**

 **GDIMartok: Kirito has pretty much always been a solo player, yes, but you're forgetting one thing. He didn't become almost religiously solo until _after_ Sachi died. Up until that point he was fine with partying up and joining other players. He asked Klein to join him, he readily partied up with Asuna, and joined the Midnight Black Cats almost immediately. As for how he died, I did that mainly for comedy's sake but there is a reason that he died like that which will become apparent later. And I couldn't wait until the Fairy Dance or Phantom Bullet Arcs for him to die either as you will learn quite soon. It _had_ to be before SAO was officially launched. And he didn't die of shock from pushing a girl, he died from shock thinking he'd been hit by a truck. As for the anime, you've named them all. Thus far into the story I haven't introduced any others. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon, Overlord, and Sword Art Online are the only ones involved at the moment.**

 **Well that wraps that up. Not a huge glut of reviews, but quite a few. I love it, so keep it up guys! With that out of the way, on to the main event!**

* * *

"Oh… here!" Megumin grumbled as she handed a copper plate to Kazuto.

 **"Of course she's a Copper…"** Wolbach groaned.

Kazuto turned the plate over and saw the list of Megumin's Stats printed on the back. "What's this?" Kazuto murmured.

"Dunno," Aqua answered with a shrug.

At that same moment, Eina walked over to the noisy trio in concern. "Um… is everything okay over here?"

Kazuto nodded without addressing her as he looked at the badge. "Yeah, just fine. This girl's just weird."

"Hey!" Megumin argued.

"Hm? What's that?" Eina asked, seeing the Copper Plate in Kazuto's grasp.

"Megumin's Adventurer badge, apparently," he explained. "Do they all show Stats like this?" he wondered as he flipped his over, seeing nothing.

Eina shook her head in response. "No, only those not in a Familia."

Megumin looked at Kazuto in surprise. "You have a Goddess?"

Kazuto nodded in agreement. "Yes. Aqua and I are in the Hestia Familia."

Megumin bowed deeply to Kazuto. "Can I please join your Familia!?"

"Umm… Sure but you'd need to ask Lady Hestia."

"O – Oh my…" Eina muttered in surprise.

"Hm?"

"This girl's magic is extremely high."

 **"I know,"** Wolbach commented.

Eina looked around in confusion. "H – Huh? Who said that?"

 **"… Behind you."**

Eina looked up and saw Kazuto's sword glowing slightly. "Wait… an Enchanted sword?"

 **"Bing, half-elf."**

"How… unusual. I've seen many, but never one that can talk."

"So you'll let me join!?" Megumin asked in excitement.

"I want to see what you're capable of first. We've got a kill quest to take out five giant toads, mind giving us a hand?"

"Sure!"

* * *

The duo then left the walls of Orario and returned to the plains outside to continue the hunt for toads, with Megumin now in tow.

Kazuto looked around in thought before seeing a lone giant sitting in the distance. "Right, there's another toad, do your thing, Megumin."

Megumin nodded before raising her staff. "Explosion magic is the strongest magic, but that means it also takes time to prepare. So can you please keep it busy while I prepare?"

Kazuto flattened his brow in response. ' _Strongest my foot._ '

 **' _It is Sixth Tier at best for humans, Lord Momonga. I can make it even better,_ '** Wolbach gloated.

' _I'm sure you can, I just don't like her boasting like that. Damn… if I could just use some of my own magic we wouldn't have to rely on a Chuunibyo._ ' "Sure…" he answered uneasily as he drew Excalibur.

Megumin continued, "Now, you will need to hold them off while I chant. Explosion may be powerful, but it takes time to cast."

 **' _I told her that so she doesn't blow up a lot,_ '** Wolbach noted.

' _Ah. Wait,_ you _did?_ ' Kazuto questioned.

 **' _I met her when I was whole._ '**

' _I… see…_ '

"Ah!" Aqua suddenly shrieked before pointing nearby. "Kazuto, there's another one coming!"

At that moment, a second toad made its way towards the group, hopping on its back legs.

"Oh great… Okay Megumin, the one in the distance over there seems complacent to just sit there. Aqua, you and I will get the other one."

"EEHH!?" Aqua shrieked.

"Is that a problem?"

"N – No…"

"Do you know any offensive magic?"

"Um… I know Aqua Spiral…"

Kazuto sighed and readied his sword. "Guess we can see. Okay, let's go!" Both he and Aqua charged at the creature.

The beast lashed its tongue out at Aqua, whom paled in horror and raised her hand in front of her. "KYA! A - Aqua Protection!" A barrier of water surrounded her and knocked its tongue aside.

"Good work!" Kazuto cheered.

Aqua blinked in surprise. ' _He… praised me…?_ ' A large smile then formed on her face.

Kazuto turned on his heel and charged at the monster and dodged its tongue, leaping up, landing on its foot as it swung it him before jumping up, putting Excalibur in a reverse grip and slamming the sword down, impaling the monster's head, killing it. He sighed in relief as he sat down next to the body. "One down…"

Megumin raised her staff and took a deep breath as a large, bright orange magic circle appeared at her feet. "Darkness blacker than black, darker than dark, I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson. Explosion!"

Another magic circle formed around the toad before releasing an immense blast that lit the sky in orange and sent dust and debris flying in all directions, rumbles shooting through the ground.

"Wh – Whoa!" Kazuto gasped as he stabbed Excalibur into the ground to hold himself in place.

"Kkyyaa!" Aqua shrieked as the blast sent her flying, Kazuto catching her as she did, holding her next to him.

It took several moments for the blast to die down and the dust to clear, leaving nothing but a smoldering crater.

Wolbach hummed in vindication. **"Yep. Low Sixth Tier."**

Kazuto sighed before standing and then saw another toad start to approach. "Crap. Megumin! We need you to –" he suddenly stopped as he saw Megumin collapsed on the ground. "Megumin!"

Megumin groaned and muttered weakly, "My apologies… even though Explosion is the ultimate of magics, it takes tremendous magical power," as the monster approached her.

 **' _Only with a chant,_ '** Wolbach commented, though only Kazuto could hear her.

"In short, I used magic exceeding my physical limits, so now I can't move a muscle. I didn't expect another toad to appear so close by, so if you could help me ou –"

"No, Megumin!" Kazuto bellowed as he ran towards the beast.

 **"Gut it,"** the sealed woman urged.

Kazuto snarled and rushed forward, plunging his sword into the toad's stomach and slicing, cutting it open.

The beast stood up tall, stiffened, and then collapsed forward.

A wave of terror spread over Kazuto suddenly as it fell forward. ' _… Uh-oh…_ ' he muttered before it landed on top of him.

Aqua stood in disbelief as Kazuto crawled out of the dead beast's mouth with Megumin hoisted on his back.

"You… had better… thank me… for this…"

"I will…" the girl groaned on his shoulders.

 **"Now to cut up the corpses,"** Wolbach urged.

Kazuto rebutted, "Let's worry about that later. Megumin and Aqua need our help more."

 **"She's fine, my Lord. She only exhausted her mana. Simply a case of Mind Down."**

"Okay, okay. Fine."

* * *

The trio made their way back into Orario, Megumin covered in toad slime, Aqua staying far behind.

Megumin groaned as she was carried by Kazuto, who urged, "We'll get washed up when we get back. So, can I join your party?"

"Do you know any other magic?"

"Humph. Of course not. Explosion Magic is the ultimate, purest form of magic!"

Kazuto pointed his gaze at Excalibur with a deadpan.

 **' _I… I may have been a little… overzealous when I demonstrated it…_ '** Wolbach uttered in Kazuto's mind.

' _A little?_ ' Kazuto sighed in frustration before positing, "Then… how about metering how much power you put in it?"

 **"She probably doesn't know how."**

' _And who's fault is that?_ ' "Haa… Okay, you can join but under one condition."

"Oh…?" Megumin muttered in apprehension.

"That, if you won't learn other magic, learn to reel back how much power you put into each explosion so it has more use."

"… Fine."

Kazuto nodded in acceptance. "Good. This way you can cast more than one explosion at a time."

Wolbach hummed in thought. **' _I see. So, you want her to do that. If I'd known that would have been your decision I'd have taught her properly so her explosions would create chaos and destruction across the land, my Lord._ '**

' _Um… right…_ '

* * *

The trio, after Aqua and Megumin washed themselves, made their way back to the old church and told Hestia of Megumin's desire to join.

"Really?!" Hestia asked with excitement.

Megumin nodded in affirmation. "I'd like to join your Familia."

Hestia jumped happily. "Yippee! A third child!"

"Child?" the trio asked in bewilderment.

Wolbach explained, **"It's what Deities refer to members of their Familia as."**

Hestia then raised both eyebrows in thought. "Oh, Kazuto, Aqua, should I check your Falnas first?"

"Sure," Kazuto replied before pulling off his shirt before laying on his stomach.

Hestia sighed before sitting on his back and dripping a bead of blood to the mark on his back. She watched as it glowed and many symbols floated in the air, her eyes widening. "Wow…"

"What?" Kazuto asked in mild confusion.

"W – Well, I'll write it down for you."

"Thanks." Kazuto sat up and put his shirt on as she wrote on a thick piece of paper and then looked it over. "Huh… my Stats went up quite a bit. Wait, what's this?" He looked down at the Skills section and saw two options listed, Explosion and Aqua Protection. "… Heh…?"

"What's wrong?"

"It says here I've got, or I guess can learn, two Skills. But no one ever taught them to me."

Hestia was surprised as well, as it was rather unusual for someone to be able to Master a Skill without being taught it first.

' _Wait, I did see Aqua and Megumin use those Skills… but did I learn them just from seeing that? Interesting…_ '

 **' _More than likely, my Lord,_ '** Wolbach added.

Hestia looked at him in thought. "So, do you want either of them?"

Kazuto shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. I wouldn't mind reading up on some magic though to start learning it."

"Sure!" She hopped up and went over to the tall bookshelves and grabbed a couple books down. "Here, these should include everything to get you started."

"And you just have these laying around because…?"

"Well Hephaestus pointed me to this place. Most of these books were already here. I added a few I bought on my own but that's all."

"Ah…"

 **"My magic's better…"** Wolbach muttered.

"You're a sword though…" Aqua wondered.

 **"Wasn't always, genius."**

Aqua twitched an eyebrow in irritation.

Hestia sighed and then turned to Megumin. "Um… so shall I inscribe your Falna?"

Kazuto left the room as Hestia began.

* * *

Megumin smiled happily as she looked at her back in the open-backed dress. "I'm really part of a Familia…!"

Kazuto smiled warmly as she laughed giddily.

Megumin raised a hand to interrupt the festivities. "Is it okay if I posit an inquiry?"

"Eh?" Aqua muttered in confusion.

 **"It means question. She's trying to sound smart. Unlike you who couldn't even try."**

Megumin sputtered and blushed. "I am smart, you talking stick! A – Anyway, where are we going to sleep? There's only a bed and two couches."

Kazuto stood up, Hestia still hanging off him, and put a hand on his chin in thought. "Hmm… You and Hestia can share the bed. You're both smaller than Aqua and me so you both should have enough room."

Hestia frowned and shook her head. "No, no, no! I have a much better idea!"

"No." He answered her bluntly.

Hestia puffed her cheeks in disappointment. Kazuto found the display rather cute. "Aaww, you didn't even let me finish!"

"You were going to ask if I would be in the bed with you."

Hestia stiffened and laughed unconvincingly in defeat.

Kazuto put a hand up in denial. "Sorry, I'll pass."

Hestia frowned in disappointment.

 **"Dumbass."**

Kazuto grumbled and shoved the sword back into its sheath roughly. "If it's that much of a problem I'll sleep upstairs."

Hestia sighed and shook her head. "No, it's fine."

"Good."

* * *

Several hours later, Hestia slept soundly in the bed with Megumin when she noticed a faint sound that roused her from her sleep and sat up to see Kazuto reading in weak light. "Kazuto…?" she muttered sleepily, her hair pooling behind her as she looked at him.

Kazuto turned to her in surprise. "Oh, Hestia-Sama, did I wake you?"

Hestia shook her head before getting out and walking over to him. "Why are you still awake?"

He continued reading as he answered, "Trying to learn as much as I can about this world."

Hestia looked at him slightly confused. "This… world?"

He internally hit himself at his oversight. "Oh, right… well I guess since you're a goddess it's okay to tell you. You see, I'm not from here. I'm from Earth."

"Y – You're from Earth?" she gasped, careful to keep her voice down as not to wake the others. "How'd you get here?"

Kazuto's expression fell sharply before he pointed to Aqua. "I… died, back on Earth. I'd rather not get into how it happened. Okay?"

Hestia nodded with an understanding smile. "I'm just happy you're telling me that much."

He nodded with a smile. "Sure. So… mind if I ask _you_ a question?"

"Of course!" Hestia answered with a wide, adorable grin.

"Do you… know anything… about the Demon King?"

Hestia put a finger on her chin in consideration. "Hm… I don't know of any Demon King."

Kazuto flattened his brow in exasperation. "… What?"

"Yeah. The biggest continent on this planet is Arc Strada, and out of all of them I can't think of a single one that has something resembling this Demon King."

"I see."

 **' _She just need ask and I'm sure she'll hear much,_ '** Wolbach commented inside Kazuto's mind.

"Any idea why they'd be targeted then?"

Hestia shrugged in nescience. "It was probably an order from Brother."

"Brother? Which one?"

"Zeus, the chief of the gods. He's the one who decided the majority of the rules, alongside Maxwell, when we came down to this world."

Wolbach suddenly piped up, incensed. **"You let that psycho make the rules, are you stupid? I mean seriously, why not Hera or even Palutena? At least _they_ are sane! Or even Freya!"**

Hestia, in mild agreement, argued, "He was still alive at the time and the king."

 **"King of rape maybe. He even sent one of his rape babies to kill one of Poseidon's rape victims!"**

Hestia blinked in confusion. "Huh?

Kazuto sighed in frustration. "So that still leaves the issue of how I get home…"

"Find a portal…?"

Kazuto merely stared in silence.

"Sorry…"

"It's okay."

* * *

The next morning, Kazuto informed Aqua and the others of what he had learned from Hestia.

"WWWHHHAAATTT!?" Aqua shrieked.

"Loud…" Kazuto grumbled.

 **"Wish Red knew Silence…"** Wolbach groaned.

"You mean we _can_ ' _t_ kill the Demon King!? Then how do we get home you dummy?!" Aqua accused.

"We find a way back to Earth," Kazuto added.

"I want to get back to Valhalla, not Midgard!"

"But… won't you regain your powers if you can just get off this planet?"

"… Oh."

 **"You forget, she's an idiot on par with a golem,"** Wolbach chided.

"Shut up!"

Kazuto chuckled lightly. "Come on, come on, calm down. I say we start going into the Dungeon, how about you?"

 **"Guess so. Red needs to learn how to use less mana after all."** **' _And Aqua's gonna have_ fun _in there._ '**

Kazuto frowned slightly. ' _Care to explain that?_ '

 **' _Not really, my Lord._ '**

' _Right…_ '

Megumin suddenly tugged on his coat.

"Something wrong, Megumin?"

"I want to practice."

"Ah. Okay. Then we need to find a suitable target for you. Something large, sturdy, and abandoned."

Megumin thought for a moment. "I saw a mausoleum on my way to Orario."

"That might work."

* * *

"There it is," Megumin pointed out to a large, stone castle with several walls around it, Kazuto frowning in confusion as he looked at it.

' _I don't know why, but that looks familiar…_ ' "Okay, Megumin, let's try something."

"Okay!"

"Try it without the chant."

"Eh!?"

"Just trust me."

Megumin frowned in worry. "Okay…" She raised her staff and opened her mouth preparing to chant but stiffened. "E – Explosion!" she called out immediately, a large explosion blasting the mausoleum. "It's smaller…" Megumin pouted.

"Yeah, but you're still standing."

Megumin blinked and looked down before squealing in excitement. "Uwah! You're right!"

Kazuto chuckled lightly. "Alright, see if you can cast another one."

"Right! Explosion!" she howled, sending out another shot that rocked the castle before she collapsed.

"Well… that happened. Guess two full power, non-chant Explosions is your limit. We'll need to work on that. One possibility is you work to decrease the amount of energy you put into an attack."

"Okay… Now… can you carry me back to the city…?"

"Sure."

* * *

"How are we supposed to go into the Dungeon if Megumin can't move!?" Aqua bellowed.

"… Recruit a new member?"

Aqua twitched an eyebrow. "… Fine. But you do it yourself this time. It's your fault."

"… Fine."

* * *

Kazuto sighed as he sat in the Guild's large hall, alone. "Guess now I wait…"

He was brought from his thoughts when a voice called out. "Excuse me."

Kazuto turned in thought and saw a tall, well-built woman with long, hip-length blonde hair tied in a high ponytail and dark blue eyes wearing an orange and white robe with a black skirt underneath, and tight, white and gold armor over top, a sword on her hip. "Whoa… Beautiful…"

The woman trembled slightly as his words registered. "M – My name is Darkness. I'd like to join your p – p – party."

 **' _Ah great. A knight,_ '** Wolbach groaned.

"Um… okay…?" Kazuto muttered.

"Are you still recruiting members?"

"Y – Yeah…"

"May I join?"

"Um, yeah, you can… but I wouldn't recommend it."

"Why? Regardless, I'm glad. I've anxiously awaited the arrival of someone such as yourself."

"Eh? Really?"

The woman began breathing heavily, her face turning red. "Those two slimy ladies the other day were allies of yours, no?"

"… Y – Yes… They got swallowed by frogs a –"

"It's worse than I imagined…"

' _… What's with her…?_ '

"As a knight, I cannot overlook such horrors befalling two girls of such a tender age!" she exclaimed, breathing heavily and flushed deeply.

Wolbach groaned in frustration. **' _Oh dear you… she's an M._ '**

' _Her eyes are scaring me…_ ' Kazuto moaned in his head. "N – No, I'd advise against it. We've only got three members, a mage who can barely control her magic, a goddess who can't do much, and myself who only has a rusty sword. So you should look elsewhe – ow, ow, ow!"

His words were interrupted as she gripped his wrist tightly with her hands. "That's even better!"

 **' _Me thinks you should let her._ '**

Kazuto gaped slightly. ' _Hah!? Why?!_ '

 **' _Why not?_ '**

The blonde stood straight with a light blush. "You see… this is a little embarrassing, but the truth is… while I have confidence in my strength and stamina, I am clumsy… So, um… none of my attacks hit their mark…"

 **' _Meat shield._ '**

She then leaned close to Kazuto once more. "As such, I'll charge to the front line!" She leaned even closer, their faces almost touching. "So please use me as a shield!"

Wolbach snickered. **' _Super Tier masochist. She will be so useful._ '**

' _That's really ominous…_ ' Kazuto groaned.

"So…?"

"… No. I can't use a woman as a shield."

"It would be my pleasure!" she exclaimed, still panting and flushed.

"W – Well we get hit by monsters in almost every battle…"

"That would be even _more_ my pleasure!"

"Uuhh… we are planning to… one day… fight… the Demon King!"

She stiffened before releasing a heavy sigh.

Kazuto sighed in relief. ' _Okay… I think that got through to her._ '

"I understand. It has always been the fate of female knights to suffer an erotic fate to the Demon King."

Kazuto slammed his head against the wall.

"So I, Darkness, the Crusader, will join you on your quest to sedu – I mean, defeat the Demon King!"

Wolbach snickered silently. **' _She's certainly well on her way to doing that._ '**

' _Please shut up…_ ' Kazuto groaned.

"So, may I join your party?" Darkness reiterated.

"My head hurts…"

"Oh. Did you drink too much?"

"No… Wh – Why don't you… come back tomorrow… and let me think about it…?"

"Certainly!"

* * *

Aqua gaped at Kazuto. "You turned down a Crusader!? Are you insane!?"

"It's not me who's the insane one, trust me."

 **"She's a mega masochist,"** Wolbach added.

Aqua gaped slightly before Kazuto urged, "Let's just go straight to the Dungeon tomorrow."

 **"What about your promise to meet with Darkness tomorrow?"**

"It was a lie to get her off my back."

 **"How cruel of you to play with a girl's heart like that."**

Kazuto could not respond.

* * *

The next day, Kazuto, Aqua, and Megumin made their way to Babel, through the large doors at its base, through the large room made of marble, down the spiral staircase at the center, and into the Dungeon itself, the initial Floor being a long, stony cavern with walls of dark red.

"Let's stay on the First Floor today in order to get our bearings. Understood?" Kazuto urged.

"Fine…" Aqua pouted.

"Alright," Megumin agreed.

Kazuto then turned to Megumin directly. "Oh, one more thing. Megumin, try charging your Explosion only partway while we're here today. Based on my understanding of magic, a spell will still fire if you don't charge it all the way, it just won't be as strong."

Wolbach added, **"It also won't take such a long time casting."**

"Right!" Megumin cheered.

The teen chuckled lightly before drawing Excalibur and looking ahead. "Okay, I'll stay in front directly handling the monsters. Aqua, you stay in the back, casting healing spells and water spells when needed, Megumin, you stay in the center and provide support for me and protection for Aqua."

"Right."

Aqua gaped slightly. ' _W – Wow… Does he actually know what he's doing?_ '

Kazuto suddenly had an image of Wolbach grinning in his mind. He ignored the thought as they proceeded into the Dungeon before they saw a small Goblin, with green skin and a pointed nose, holding a sharpened bone as a weapon. The Monster also saw them and screeched before charging.

Kazuto charged as well and blocked its club with his sword, knocked its legs out from under it, and then stabbed it in the chest. "Okay, that wasn't too bad." After a couple seconds it dissolved into ash, leaving a small crystal behind. "Let's spend at least eight hours in here before calling it a day."

"Right," Megumin agreed.

As the group continued through the tunnels, Kazuto was eventually surrounded by a group of four Goblins, though he had little trouble against them when one broke off from the rest and towards Aqua and Megumin. "Megumin!"

Megumin gulped and gripped her staff tightly. ' _Okay, I can do this. Just gotta use a little mana…_ ' "E – Explosion!" she called out, trying to limit the energy inside the attack, an explosion blast right as the Goblin approached, blowing it to pieces. "Wh – Whoa… That actually worked… and, and I can still stand!"

Kazuto kicked one of the Goblins away before stabbing another in the head, killing it. "Great, now give me a hand please!"

"Explosion!" she called out, the Goblins scattering.

"Perfect!" He slashed at the first Goblin, knocking it to the ground before stomping on its chest, its body quickly dissolving, and then turned and charged at the final Goblin, impaling it against the wall and killing it.

After the beasts dissolved, Kazuto heard Wolbach humming to herself. "Val for your thoughts?"

 **' _You should have easily handled those cretins on your own, my Lord,_ ' **she noted. **' _That, and I think Megumin is nearing her limit._ '**

' _I know, but the best way to strengthen a muscle is to exercise it. I'm not going to have her use her Explosion much more, but pushing her just to exhaustion should help increase her mana reserves. Plus, neither of them are going to get any stronger if I don't let them fight a little._ '

Wolbach groaned slightly. **' _You want the goddess who's after your head to get_ stronger _? Albedo is gonna lose it…_ '**

' _Look, I'll sort that nonsense out when we get to it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it._ ' He then glanced back at the two girls as they spoke blithely. ' _Besides, they don't seem like genuinely bad people._ ' "Great work. And you're really getting the hang of this."

Megumin grinned confidently with a thumbs-up. "But of course. It's a simple matter for Crimson Demon such as myself."

 **"Ego of the Red."**

"Oh shut up!"

 **"Nya! Can't make me!"**

Kazuto chuckled lightly in amusement as their squabble continued. "Let's keep moving."

"Right," Aqua agreed.

* * *

The trio spent several more hours in the Dungeon, slaying Goblins and Kobolds as they encountered them.

As their time came to an end, Kazuto sighed after killing yet another Kobold. "Phew. Okay, that should be enough for today. So, let's go back and turn in the loot for money."

"'Kay…" Aqua pouted.

"Right…" Megumin muttered, lying on the ground exhausted.

Kazuto looked at Aqua in mild concern. "Something wrong, Aqua?"

"I didn't get to do anything!"

Wolbach chided, **"Okay, next time you fight all the Monsters."**

Kazuto sighed and interjected, "That's the nature of a Healer, they stay back out of danger casting healing spells. So, the fact you didn't do much is a good sign. Got it? Besides, I don't know any magic and Megumin doesn't know any support spells."

"I don't need any!" the red-eyed girl protested.

Wolbach argued, **"Some can boost your Explosion."**

Megumin flinched back slightly. "Evil sword tempting me with such forbidden secrets…"

* * *

The trio made their way back to the Guild, where Kazuto handed the bag of Stones they had collected to Eina. "Okay, here's our loot for the day."

Eina nodded as she looked at the bag. "Nice. Wait here while I convert everything."

Kazuto sat with Aqua and Megumin as Eina headed into the back.

After a moment of silence, Wolbach noted, in Kazuto's mind, **' _You_ do _realize that if it ever gets out who you are that the entire Guild will be on your hide, right?_ '**

' _They won't. I plan to sort all this crap out before it comes to that._ '

 **' _I don't mean to doubt you, my Lord, but I worry that you're letting your human side rule your thoughts._ '**

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. ' _There is no human "side" of me, I_ am _human._ '

 **' _You're acting like an in denial undead, like Wiz did when she first became a Lich. It's unbecoming for the leader of the Supreme Beings. But very well. If it helps you come to grips with your existence I'll play along with you being human for the time being. Though I suggest you get that matter sorted before we encounter any of the Guardians._ '**

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow in annoyance.

 **' _Other than Wiz, that is, given that her brains are in her tits._ '**

"Here you are," Eina greeted as she approached the trio, holding a tray with numerous gold, silver, and copper coins on it, adding up to roughly five hundred Vals.

Aqua twitched an eyebrow. "That's it…?"

Kazuto turned to her and chided, "What do you mean? This should be at least worth a day's pay for each of us once it's divided up. I'd say we either stay longer next time or try the Second Floor for larger Crystals."

"Right…"

Eina looked at him in mild surprise. "You want to go that far already?"

He nodded in reply. "Well, yeah. We have a standard party. And we need to make it stronger."

 **"Should be easy,"** Wolbach added.

"I see…" Eina noted, unconvinced.

"Ah! Kazuto!" a familiar, unwanted voice called out.

 **' _Your future bitch has found you, my Lord,_ '** Wolbach commented.

' _So I noticed…_ ' Kazuto groaned before turning to see Darkness approaching, and then noticed a second person with her.

A girl with short, messy, silver hair and lavender eyes, wearing a skimpy, black top with one strap on her shoulder, a green mantle, a light blue muffler, low, short-cut shorts with black leggings underneath, thigh-high white stockings, and tall, brown boots.

Wolbach groaned deeply at the girl. **' _Oh great…_ '**

"This is my friend, Chris," Darkness explained.

"Yo," the girl greeted.

Kazuto gave her a deadpan look before turning to Darkness. "Okay, so why'd you bring her along?"

"Huh?" Darkness wondered in confusion.

Chris added, "Darkness told me she was joining a Familia with a cool guy so I wanted to check it out."

Kazuto merely stared at Darkness.

 **' _She has no idea how cool you are,_ '** Wolbach snickered.

After a moment of silence, Darkness asked, "So, I waited a day like you said, so may I join your party?"

 **"Yep!"**

"Oy! I didn't say yes!" Kazuto argued.

Darkness frowned in disappointment.

 **' _Do you want her sad?_ '** Wolbach questioned.

"… Fine. But I want to see what you can do first."

Darkness nodded with a bright smile.

After a moment, Kazuto narrowed his eyes in thought.

His gaze kept on her for several seconds, Darkness began fidgeting uncomfortably. "Wh – What…?"

Kazuto then looked directly at her. "I have a test for you. We'll be going into the Dungeon again tomorrow, and you'll join us. However, if you get hit once by any of the Monsters my answer is no."

After a moment, Wolbach urged, **"Red, shock collar."**

Megumin almost immediately slapped a black collar with a red jewel on Darkness' neck.

"E – Eh…?" the blonde muttered.

"M – Megumin!" Kazuto sputtered.

Wolbach then addressed Darkness directly. **"Listen, blondie, do as your told and you'll get shocked."**

"Are you crazy?!"

"Really?!" Darkness asked with excitement.

 **"And Kazuto here will do it, so long as you do what he tells you."**

"The hell I will!"

"Truly!?"

Wolbach, in Kazuto's thoughts, urged, **' _Trust me, this girl could be useful if we can just keep her under control._ '**

' _But…_ ' he argued weakly.

 **' _To her, pain is good._ '**

' _Ah… that doesn't make sense._ '

 **' _It's true._ ' "Red, pinch Darkness."**

Megumin did as Wolbach told her and pinched Darkness' arm, causing her to moan with pleasure.

Kazuto gaped in shock.

 **"Give her a titty twister."**

"Her armor's in the way," Kazuto retorted, to which Darkness began undoing her armor. "STOP!"

The others all looked at him.

"… Wh – What…?"

Wolbach sighed heavily.

"What!?" With a sigh he turned to Darkness. "Anyway, we've done our dive into the Dungeon, so come back here tomorrow."

Darkness nodded excitedly. "Right! I will!" She and Chris then left the Guild building.

Aqua groaned in exasperation. "Well that was…"

"Weird," Kazuto grumbled.

Wolbach then asked, **"Think she knows how to use the collar, Red?"**

Megumin held up a small ring and explained, "It won't activate unless this ring is pointed at it within a certain distance."

Kazuto frowned in concern. "How long's the distance?"

Megumin aimed the ring towards where Darkness and Chris had left before a loud moan floated through the air. "… Farther than that."

"Right…"

* * *

"Whoa…" Hestia gasped as she looked over the money Kazuto handed her after dividing up the earnings.

Kazuto chuckled lightly. "There. That should be enough for food for a few days."

Wolbach huffed in annoyance. **"We should have stopped at a tavern on the way back."**

"Why?"

"You're a sword, you can't even drink," Aqua chided.

 **"Red. Reasoning."**

Megumin explained succinctly, "Taverns are a source of information of goings on outside the city and deeper parts of the Dungeon."

Kazuto gaped slightly. "… You've trained her fast… Anyway, I hadn't thought of that. Then again, we can't just go into any random tavern, it needs to be the right one."

Megumin explained, "Benevolent Mistress serves Adventurers. It's where I heard you were looking for new members to aid in venturing the lands."

"That so? I'll have to check it out. For now, let's focus on trying to get enough money to actually spend there first."

 **' _Seriously?_ '** Wolbach challenged.

' _What?_ '

 **' _You could have me ask Wiz for a few thousand Vals._ '**

' _I can't play my hand on that front just yet. Besides, Wiz worked hard for the money she's earned, I don't want to take it from her just because I'm lazy._ '

 **' _… I meant have her go and grab some funds from the one of the vaults in Nazarick._ '**

' _That's too risky. It might tip off the others to who I am._ '

Wolbach sighed in exasperation before Hestia spoke up.

"I should check each of your Falnas now."

"Right."

* * *

Hestia sighed in relief after updating the Stats of each of the trio. "And status update, done. Most of your Stats went up about ten points. Kazuto, yours went up an average of twenty points, except for your Agility, it went up thirty points."

"Good to know. Thanks, Lady Hestia."

Aqua pouted in disappointment.

Kazuto then blinked in thought. "Oh… um, Lady Hestia, we're probably going to have someone new joining the Familia."

"Really?!" she asked with elation.

"She's a knight with an… unusual quirk."

 **"Super masochist,"** Wolbach stated bluntly.

Hestia remained silent in disbelief. "W – Wow…"

Wolbach added, **"Red put a collar on her too."**

"It's supposed to be for Kazuto to use but he won't take it," Megumin commented.

Kazuto paled and snarled, "Don't put it like that!"

"Like what?"

"It makes it sound like I'm trying to turn her into a pet or something!"

 **"Pretty sure that'd make her day."**

"Your input is _not_ needed!"

 **"I think it is. I'm one of the smartest people in the room."**

Kazuto flopped onto his sofa in exhaustion. "I wanna go back to Japan… There things made sense with the only dangers being the Nova and Savages…"

 **"Well unfortunately you're stuck here for the time being."**

"Don't remind me… I just wonder how my sisters are doing… and if that girl is okay…"

Hestia twitched an eyebrow slightly. "… Sisters…?"

"Yeah."

"I see… Oh, hey, Kazuto, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he answered plainly.

"On my way back from work, I saw something weird in the sky."

"Oh? How weird?" he asked, reaching for a glass of water.

"A castle floating in the sky."

He sat up instantly in shock. "Where?!"

Hestia shrank back in surprise at his reaction. "Eep! U – Um, to the west I think."

He immediately rushed up out of the room and out of the church.

Aqua gasped in shock. "H – Hey! Kazuto! What's gotten into you!?"

"We should probably follow," Megumin noted.

"Y – Yeah!" Hestia agreed before the three followed after him.

* * *

Outside, Kazuto looked around frantically. "West… west… if it was west in the morning… then it would be east now." He turned to face the east of the city and his jaw dropped, his face going white.

"Huh? Kazuto? What's wrong?" Aqua asked as she and the others approached him.

Wolbach whistled in awe. **"… Well… That thing has a lot of magic in it."**

Aqua blinked in confusion and looked up, seeing, on the horizon, a gigantic, conical castle floating high in the sky on the horizon. "Wow. It's so big."

"What is that?" Megumin wondered.

Wolbach hummed in thought. **"I've never seen anything like it. Though the magic in it is powerful. Very powerful."**

Kazuto stumbled back in disbelief. "H – How is this… possible? I thought… it was just a game…"

 **"Hm? Care to elaborate?"**

Kazuto shook his head clear and turned to the rest. "U – Uh, right. In my world, there was this game called Sword Art Online, or SAO. It was based inside of a floating castle called Aincrad where the goal was to clear the one hundred floors within it. And… there's no mistaking it. That castle there in the distance _is_ Aincrad."

 **"Ah. Probably, whoever made that SAO is skilled in Dimensional and Mind Transferal Magic."**

"The person who made it was named Akihiko Kayaba. I know he invented the NerveGear, but I didn't think he could do something like that."

 **"And what _is_ this NerveGear?"**

"It's a virtual reality helmet that transfers all of your senses into an avatar that you control by it intercepting the signals of your brain. Do you… understand any of that?"

 **"I get the basics. So basically, it takes control of your mind away from your body and puts it into a 'fake' body within an environment that supposedly isn't real?"**

"I… suppose… put simply."

 **"That's called Mind Transfer Magic."**

"I see… I don't know how Kayaba got it, but maybe you're right." Kazuto's fists clenched tightly. "But… what does that mean for the players? Will any of them realize this is all real?"

 **"Unless they're forced to do so I doubt it. And the only way to do that is if some God did it." ' _But, I do wonder, why do you care, my Lord? They are but mere humans._ '**

' _They are from my world._ '

 **' _Hm… I still don't get it. Humans are human no matter where you go. Do you know any of them? Oh, I get it, this is part of your denial. You think saving them will somehow preserve your humanity._ '**

Kazuto sighed in frustration before the group's attention was pulled away by the sound of stones crumbling nearby.

They turned and saw a girl with long, flowing, knee-length, chestnut brown hair, tied back into a small ponytail by two braids, her fringe parted just above her forehead, ending just over her hazel eyes, wearing a basic red vest over a white tunic that tightly hugged her modest figure, a red, pleated skirt, white tights, and tall, brown, leather boots.

"Ouch…" she muttered as she stepped forward. She then looked ahead and saw Kazuto and the others. "Hey… you're… that boy…"

"Uh…" Kazuto muttered as Aqua laughed. "Hold on, why are you even here? I pushed you out of the way of that tractor…"

She stiffened and laughed weakly. "Yeah… I was so shocked when you died right there, I… didn't see the truck…"

Kazuto paled and collapsed in defeat, Aqua roaring with laughter, though it immediately stopped when the duo glared at her.

"Eek!" she shrieked before hiding behind Megumin, causing the girl to shiver in fear.

Kazuto stood and groaned in frustration. "Great… so what I did was not just pointless but actually caused more harm…"

The brunette stiffened and urged, "H – Hey…! Don't look at it like that…"

"But… You wouldn't have gotten ran over and put in this situation."

"Maybe, but we can't change anything."

"Yeah… Only thing we _can_ do is find a way back home. Anyway, my name's Kazuto Kirigaya, guess it's nice to meet properly."

She nodded in return. "Asuna Yuuki. About getting home, Eris told me the only way is –"

"Kill the Demon King?"

"Yeah…?"

"Yeah… about that…"

Megumin blinked in confusion. "We're going up against the Demon King?"

"No."

"Why?" Aqua asked, irritated.

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow in frustration.

"What?"

"Well… Hestia said she's never heard of one."

"But there is one," Megumin and Wolbach remarked in unison.

"… Not… helping…"

Asuna tilted her head in mild confusion. "This is… odd."

"You have no idea… especially with Aincrad floating in the sky."

"… Hah?"

Kazuto pointed nearby to the castle floating in the horizon.

"Wh – What the…?"

"Yeah. Anyway, there's a reason we're not going after the Demon King."

"Huh?"

"The order to kill the Demon King was given by Aqua and Eris' boss, Zeus. And if you know anything about the Greek mythology, where we know the most of Zeus from, then underhanded tactics and lies are his game. So, to be honest, if it's an order from him I'd rather not follow it. So instead, to get back to Earth I'm going to aim for trying to find a portal of some kind."

Asuna sighed in frustration. "… Ah. Eris did seem a little… out of it. Nice girl though. Still want to beat her for dropping me in such a barren place."

"At least yours didn't laugh at your death…"

"You had a different one?"

Kazuto wordlessly pointed to Aqua.

Asuna gave him a flat look. "Lemme guess, you picked her to come with you?"

"Yeah. Why didn't you pick Eris?"

"Because when Eris mentioned the name of the town I'd be dropped in I remembered it from the SAO lore."

Kazuto remained silent before walking over to a wall and smacking his head against it.

Asuna gaped in disbelief. "You _seriously_ didn't read the SAO lore book!?"

"I was too busy playing the game…"

"It mentioned in the book itself that Aincrad flew above Orario, a town where gods live as men."

Kazuto continued slamming his head against the wall. "If I did, I would have chosen something useful…"

Aqua pouted.

Asuna frowned in worry. "Um… I should probably stop talking now, huh?"

 **"That'd probable be helpful,"** Wolbach remarked.

She then looked at Megumin and Aqua. "So… who are they?"

Megumin smirked proudly and began, "I am –"

 **"No intro,"** Wolbach interrupted.

"Megumin."

 **"I prefer to call them Red and Blue."**

"I'm Hestia!" the black-haired goddess greeted cheerfully.

Asuna remained silent for a moment. "Um… I know this is a little bit late, but why is that sword talking?"

 **"Because I'm awesome."**

She sighed heavily. "… This world gets dumber and dumber. So, where am I exactly? I just sort of appeared in that pile of rocks over there and have been trying to get my bearings since."

"I said it's Orario," Kazuto reiterated, resulting in Asuna turning her attention to Hestia.

"This is a church between West Main and Northwest Main."

Asuna nodded in appreciation. "And where would I find a guild of some kind?"

"West Main."

Kazuto chimed in, "There's a fee to join if you're not in a Familia. If you want you can join ours."

Asuna shook her head with a smile. "No, that's okay. I think it'd be best if I join a different one. It'd be easier for us to find a way home too."

"Ah… right."

"I'll see you around."

"Right, Asuna."

Shortly after she left, Megumin approached Kazuto. "Kazuto, before we head for the Dungeon, I want to practice my Explosion again."

The teen put a hand on his chin in thought. "Okay, just try not to overdo it this time. Personally it'd probably be best to wait until after our dive into the Dungeon."

Megumin pouted in disappointment.

"Do you _really_ want to run the risk of Mind Down in the Dungeon?"

"… Fine."

"Good to hear."

* * *

Kazuto sat in the Guild's waiting hall silently as Megumin and Aqua got the latest report on the Dungeon from the representatives.

"Good, you're here," Darkness alerted as she and Chris walked up to him.

"Ah, hey, Darkness." Kazuto frowned in thought as he looked at the duo. ' _I could use a stealing skill…_ ' "Hey, mind if I ask you something, Chris?"

Chris smirked and retorted, "Want to learn one of my Skills?"

Kazuto was silently surprised.

Chris snickered in mild amusement. "I saw it on your face. And I don't mind, they're easy to use and don't take much Aura to learn."

"Thanks."

"Right, I'll do it for the cost of a drink."

"I can do that."

* * *

Shortly later, the trio walked to an alleyway outside the Guild.

Chris explained, "Okay, there are three main Skills a thief uses. Enemy Detection, Lurk, and Steal."

 **' _Don't you already know all of that, my Lord?_ '** Wolbach questioned.

' _Obviously,_ ' Kazuto retorted. ' _But I don't know those abilities in this world._ '

 **' _All you need to do is find Nazarick._ '**

' _That's assuming it exists here._ '

"You ready?" Chris interjected.

"Yes."

Chris nodded in acceptance. "To do Enemy Detection, focus your mana around yourself and surge it out, waiting for it to bounce back."

"Right… How do I do that?"

Wolbach remained silent in confusion. **' _Don't you –?_ '**

' _I don't know how to access my mana using a real body, only within Yggdrasil, and the character in the game has mana access by default._ '

 **' _Right…_ '**

Chris sighed in exasperation. "… Oh boy. You don't know how to use your mana at all?"

Kazuto nodded. "I grew up in a place where we didn't think mana even existed. Until a few days ago I didn't even think gods existed."

"… Oh dear…"

 **"Yeah…"** Wolbach noted.

Chris sighed in frustration. "I see… well I guess back to basics then." She then reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a translucent blue crystal. "I'll give you this free of charge."

"What is it?" Kazuto wondered.

"It's a special gem, made from Magic Stones. It responds to mana. If you focus on it, it'll draw your mana out. Basically, it'll help you access it, but that's all. If you want to do any more than that you'll need to find someone who actually knows some magic."

 **"Yo,"** Wolbach piped up.

"An enchanted sword? That should do. Think you can teach this kid to do a little magic?"

The sword grumbled silently. **' _If only you knew._ '** **"It would be my pleasure, Little Goddess."**

Chris stiffened in shock.

 **"Something the matter, Little Goddess?"**

"I – I don't know what you're talking about…" Chris sputtered.

 **"Rriigghhtt, no-name Goddess."**

Darkness looked at Chris in confusion. "Huh?"

"N – Nothing! Ignore her!"

"Okay?"

Chris sighed and then turned back to Kazuto. "Guess I'll have to stick around for a little bit until you've got enough mana control to learn these Skills."

"Thanks," Kazuto added.

"I won't be joining your Familia, but I will join your party for the time being."

 **"Subtle…"** Wolbach remarked.

"Huh?" Kazuto questioned.

 **"You don't realize –"** Wolbach started before Chris flicked a pebble at her. **"Oy!"**

Chris then turned her attention to Kazuto. "So, where are ya staying? And I assume Darkness here is in?"

 **"A ratty, crumbling church that belonged to Aqua, the two-bit goddess."**

Chris stiffened and Kazuto noticed what seemed to be a strong desire to shout, though she ended up just sighing heavily.

Wolbach merely snickered in amusement.

Kazuto sighed and then turned to Chris directly. "Want us to show you to it first or go to the Dungeon first?"

Chris shrugged nonchalantly. "The Dungeon's not going anywhere, so why don't you show us to your place first?"

"Right."

* * *

The group, now including Megumin and Aqua, returned to the church.

Wolbach proudly declared, **"Behold! The crumbling ruin of Aqua!"**

"Shut up you stupid sword!" Aqua shrieked.

Chris gaped slightly in shock. "Wow… just… wow…"

Wolbach snickered in amusement. **"Try and make me. I wanna see how bad you flop."**

Darkness gulped as she looked at the crumbling structure. "This is so dark and worn down… it makes me wonder if any monsters will jump out and –"

"Boo!" Megumin shouted, startling the blonde.

"Kya!" she shrieked before drawing her sword and swinging it at Megumin, who was mere centimeters from her, her blade missing entirely.

Everyone remained silent in shock.

 **"… You _suck_!"**

Chris gaped slightly. "I – I knew she was… I just didn't know it was this bad…"

 **"… Then you need to get out more than the blue NEET."**

Aqua snarled and griped, "Hey! I am not a NEET!" She then pointed at Kazuto. "He is!"

"I go to school," Kazuto retorted. "What's your excuse?"

Everyone simply remained silent before Wolbach groaned in annoyance. **"Okay, bored now. Red."**

Megumin pointed the ring at Darkness, causing electricity to burst through her body, making her moan.

Kazuto swiftly took the ring from the girl. "That's enough of that."

Wolbach hummed in approval. **"Good. Now you will do her,"** she stated, to which Kazuto slammed her into her sheath roughly. **"Ouch! Jeez! Treat a woman better!"**

Kazuto sighed in annoyance. "Come on, let's just go inside."

* * *

After the entered the church and went to the hidden back room, Chris did her best to hide behind Darkness.

Hestia noticed her hiding behind the blonde but couldn't see her. "Hm? Why's there someone hiding behind her?"

Kazuto shrugged before changing the subject. "Dunno. Anyway, this is Darkness, she wants to join our Familia."

Hestia widened her eyes with excitement. "Great!"

Chris slinked away slowly and noted, "I – I'll go wait outside."

Kazuto nodded in agreement. "Me too."

* * *

Outside the church, after several moments of silence, Kazuto turned to Chris. "So, why are you here?"

"H – Huh?" she wondered in confusion.

Kazuto smirked slightly. "You think I wouldn't recognize you from when Aqua and I were sent here?"

 **"You know this no-name goddess?"** Wolbach wondered.

He put a hand on his chin. "What was your name? Oh, right, Eris."

 **"Hm… must be a small-time deity. Good. Means you haven't committed any atrocities."**

The girl sighed in exasperation. "How'd you know?"

"Your face. You're too cute to forget."

Chris' face turned red as she looked away slightly.

"So, why are you here?"

"I just wanted to check on how Aqua-Senpai is doing," she explained simply.

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. "As you can see, poorly."

Chris frowned in bewilderment. "Which is rather confusing, she always seemed so powerful while we were in Valhalla."

He remained silent for a moment, waiting for the punchline. "… Seriously? Comparing that with the useless girl I'm stuck with… Does not make any sense."

"I see…"

Wolbach remarked, **"She's not completely useless. She makes good bait."**

Chris pouted in frustration. "… You're mean…"

 **"And you're too nice for your own good. You're standing up and getting angry for useless, two-bit goddess that'd probably betray you if it meant she could get her job back."**

Chris gasped in disbelief. "Th – That's not true!"

 **"Oh? And why do you say that?"**

"I – I mean… I know Aqua-Senpai isn't the nicest person. But she's not a bad person."

 **"If someone told her Kazuto's the Demon King she'd stab him in his sleep."**

Chris paled in disbelief. "… N – No… that's not Aqua-Senpai…"

Kazuto sighed and stowed Excalibur before turning back to Chris. "Okay, let's start from here. When's the last time you actually saw her?"

"Before she was stuck in Purgatory."

"Which was when?"

"Eleven thousand years ago."

"… Meaning you know nothing about how she is now."

"I… I guess so…" she noted with a deep frown.

* * *

 **And thus concludes the second chapter of the story. I hope you all enjoyed it, be sure to leave it a review if you did. If you were confused, unsure, or had questions about anything be sure to leave those as reviews as well and I will do what I can within certain limits; just understand that I cannot give out spoilers within (i.e. future events, revealing surprises, and things like that) a reviewer response, so if those are your question a PM will get you better results. If you did not enjoy the chapter, review if you must, I welcome criticism, but do try to keep it civil and cogent. Anyway, I do not have anything else to add here, so, until the next chapter, bye-bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III**

 **Greetings and salutations my wonderful readers! I have returned to you with yet another chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure. I hope everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, at least a few of you did it seems. I equally hope you all enjoy this chapter as well, be sure to leave a review if you do. As normal, I would like to thank my coauthor Bakuto Masaki for all of his help with the story thus far and going forward. Anyway, with that out of the way, on to the reviewer responses!**

 **ThousandMastery: I generally try to avoid that kind of character (I assume by SIOC you mean Self-Insert Original Character) though I have fallen into that trap a couple times. And I am trying to make the girls a little more fleshed out. It's sort of pre-SAO. The story begins before SAO, but currently SAO will have just started. Haha! Don't think that'll be happening this time around.**

 **No, she's not a gamer but she is an avid reader, which is my justification for her being here. Yeah, I thought that would make for an interesting series of events since Kazuma's a bit of a douchebag.**

 **Yes, Kazuto is essentially Kazuma's antithesis (Though not in the way Kyouya was). Nope, no Kajo Fugetsu. Since Hestia has to approve the skills she learns Kazuto will make damn sure she doesn't waste her Sacred Aura on stupid Skills.**

 **Shield Hero's Rising? Sounds interesting.**

 **SaintInfernalNeos: Crossover mess is generally what my stories are. You couldn't have found it any sooner honestly, I just started it a few days ago. Of course she will. She's my second favorite SAO girl after all just behind Strea.**

 **Then you've come to the right place, and nice picking up on that detail.**

 **Jose19: Because Bell would've gotten in the way had he been here. I don't do tandem MCs nor do I do cuckolding, so Bell would've been subject to both had he been here. And that's debatable on Bell, he's certainly a great protagonist, and I may even do a story with him in the future, but I personally like Kazuto better. Them's fightin' words mofo!**

 **Don't know who Haseo is.**

 **Alex DarkFire: I certainly hope it is.**

 **I can't guarantee on Aiko since, near as I can tell, her appearance nor her Avatar is ever shown. Yuuki I can at least offer you hope of appearing.**

 **Phew! That is a lot of reviews. I _love_ it! Keep it coming folks! That said, I know you are not all here to hear me prattle on endlessly, so let us move on to the main event!**

* * *

Chris paled in disbelief. "… N – No… that's not Aqua-Senpai…"

Kazuto sighed and stowed Excalibur before turning back to Chris. "Okay, let's start from here. When's the last time you actually saw her?"

"Before she was stuck in Purgatory."

"Which was when?"

"Eleven thousand years ago."

"… Meaning you know nothing about how she is now."

"I… I guess so…" she noted with a deep frown.

Kazuto sighed as he looked at the despondent girl.

"But… she still has to be the Aqua-Senpai I know, somewhere in there."

Kazuto rubbed the back of his head in consideration. "Maybe you could try and help find her?"

"Huh? You think so? How?"

"You knew her. So, you can probably bring out the person she used to be. I didn't, so all I can really do is try and make the Aqua of now a better person as much as I can."

Their conversation was forced to end abruptly as Hestia and the others came out of the church.

"All done," Hestia chirped proudly before she saw Chris swiftly huddle behind Kazuto. "What's wrong with her?"

Kazuto laughed weakly. "Uuhh… j – just shy."

Aqua raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Wait, her?"

Darkness nodded in response. "Yes. Chris, the person I came here with."

Aqua walked beside Kazuto and looked at Chris in thought. "Hm… you look familiar."

The disguised goddess paled in worry.

"Nope, can't remember."

Chris flopped her head against Kazuto's back in disbelief.

 **"And this is supposed to be a goddess…"** Wolbach groaned.

* * *

Shortly later, Kazuto, Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness made their way towards the Dungeon.

As they approached, Kazuto frowned in thought. ' _If Darkness is as bad as Wolbach is saying then I'll need to take drastic measures._ ' "Darkness, can you hold on for just a moment?"

Darkness turned to him in thought. "Yes? What is it?"

"Um…" Kazuto gulped before slapping her on the arm with only a little force, causing her to release a rather powerful moan.

Darkness, flushed and panting, shouted, "Wh – What was that for…?! What did I do so you'll do it more?!"

He paled in shock. ' _Damn…_ ' "Okay, Darkness, I'll make a deal with you. If you manage to not get hit once by any of the monsters," he paused and held up the ring that powered her shock collar, "I'll use this for an entire minute."

Darkness drooled in excitement before saluting. "I swear I won't get hit a single time!"

 **' _Good, she's excited,_ '** Wolbach commented.

' _How is that good?_ ' Kazuto questioned.

 **' _It means she's easy to control._ '**

Kazuto sighed in exasperation before turning to Darkness. "But if you do get hit I won't use this at all for a week."

The blonde gasped in shock. "Kya! Th – That's too cruel!"

Wolbach interjected, **"It's motivation."**

"… F – Fine. I won't get struck a single time, but you must keep up your end of the bargain."

"I'm a man of my word," Kazuto replied.

Before the group made their way into the Dungeon, Chris spoke up.

"I'll wait here for you guys," she alerted.

"Why?" Kazuto wondered.

Chris walked close to him and whispered, "The Dungeon hates gods and goddesses, it would send a god-slaying Monster at you if I went down there."

"Really?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. Gods are expressly forbidden from entering the Dungeon, as doing so endangers the Children."

"Then… it doesn't view Aqua as a goddess…"

"… Eh?"

"She went into the Dungeon a few times."

Chris glanced at Aqua in disbelief then back to Kazuto. "… Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"… Ah."

Their conversation was interrupted by the focus of it.

"Oy! Kazuto, you coming?!" Aqua shouted.

"Y – Yeah!" he shouted before turning back to Chris. "Okay, see you later."

Chris nodded in understanding.

* * *

Inside the Dungeon, Kazuto swung Excalibur out, hitting a Goblin across the neck and killing it before seeing another nearby charging the group. "Okay, Darkness. Let's see what you can do."

Darkness nodded in understanding and drew her sword. "With pleasure." ' _Do it for the shocks. Do it for the shocks. Do it for the shocks._ ' She then charged at the Goblin and swung her sword numerous times with a dramatic flair.

The Goblin tilted its head curiously as Darkness swung over and over, not a single hit landing.

"Oh dear lord…" Kazuto groaned.

Wolbach snickered in amusement. **"She loves to get hit and can't hit a single thing."**

Darkness turned bright red before the Goblin charged at her.

Aqua reacted instantly, raising a hand. "Water Arrow!" she shouted, a shot of water blasting from her hand and shooting through the Goblin's head, killing it.

Kazuto grinned and remarked, "Nice shot!"

Wolbach was speechless. **"… Did that just happen?"**

"It did," Kazuto noted proudly.

Aqua huffed and looked at Excalibur. "What, did you think I've been doing nothing all this time with my Sacred Auras?"

 **"Yes."**

Aqua face-faulted in frustration. "You're mean!"

Kazuto sighed and then turned his attention to Darkness. "Um… Darkness, have you had any actual training with a sword?"

The blonde stiffened before her face turned bright red. "… N – No…"

Kazuto groaned heavily. "Okay, abort for today. And prepare for training."

"Right," Megumin agreed, the other two disappointed.

* * *

"I'm sorry…" Darkness whimpered.

Kazuto sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it's not your fault you're inexperienced. I wish you would've told us first. You could've gotten hurt, and in a way I doubt you'd enjoy."

Darkness' pout worsened.

"Let's find Chris before heading back."

The girl in questioned saw the group heading back and frowned in confusion. "Why are you back so early?"

"Darkness can't hit a thing," Kazuto stated bluntly, causing the blonde to flinch.

"… Ah. So what now?"

"We head back and I train Darkness to actually use a sword."

"Right."

Megumin then tugged on his shirt. "Kazuto."

"Huh?" he muttered. "What's up Megumin?"

"I want to practice my Explosion again."

"Ah, okay." He then turned and addressed the others. "The rest of you head back, we'll be there in a bit."

"Right…" the goddess muttered suspiciously.

Shortly after the others left, Kazuto turned to Megumin. "Same mausoleum as before?"

"Yup!"

* * *

A short walk later, the duo stood in the distance of the dilapidated mausoleum once more.

Kazuto urged, "Right, this time try to cast multiple explosions instead of just one huge one."

"Understood!" Megumin looked at the mausoleum, took a breath, and then raised her staff, having to momentarily remind herself to skip the chant. "Explosion!" she hollered, two explosions going off in tandem around the ruin, sending shock waves into the air.

However, the moment was interrupted when Wolbach, inside Kazuto's head, spoke shakily. **' _Um… Lord Momonga…_ '**

' _What's up?_ ' he replied before looking at Megumin. "That was impressive, Megumin."

 **' _We… might have a problem…_ '**

' _Why?_ ' "Can you keep going?"

"I can!" the girl cheered.

"Right. Just one more."

 **' _She should really stop…_ '** Wolbach urged in worry.

Kazuto frowned in thought and then sighed. "Nevermind, let's head home before you exhaust yourself. I want to start training Darkness anyway."

Megumin nodded in understanding.

Wolbach, however, sighed in relief. **' _Yeah, that'd be best. Don't want anything too bad happening quickly._ '**

' _Okay…?_ ' Kazuto muttered in bewilderment.

* * *

Later in the day, Kazuto and Darkness stood opposite each other wielding wooden swords, the blonde gulping in anticipation.

"Okay then…" Kazuto began. "Let's see your stance."

Darkness raised her sword in an overly sloppy stance, her front exposed, her legs too close together, her sword at her side, altogether bad.

"… Wonderful…" the teen groaned in exasperation. "You're a complete mess…" he grumbled, unwittingly causing her to shiver with pleasure. "This is going to be a long day."

* * *

Several hours passed of Kazuto and Darkness sparring, Darkness swinging wildly, not coming close to hitting Kazuto, with Kazuto landing several blows in the process.

"This isn't working… at all…" he grumbled as the disheveled Darkness stood in front of him, breathing heavily with arousal. ' _You've gotta be kidding… we're not going to get anywhere if she's so focused on pain as pleasure…_ '

 **' _Then fuck her,_ '** Wolbach suggested abruptly, leaving Kazuto silent in shock for several moments.

' _… No._ '

 **' _Why not?_ '**

' _I have no doubt she'd say yes, and I can't trust her decision-making skills in that state._ '

 **' _…_ ' "Oy! Blondie!"**

Darkness blinked in confusion before turning her attention to Excalibur. "Yes?"

 **"Wanna fuck Kazuto?"** she asked simply.

Darkness remained silent in shock.

Kazuto answered abruptly, "You don't have to answer that."

"I – I do!" she answered shakily.

"… Eh?"

 **"You heard her."**

Darkness frowned in concern. "Am I… not good enough?"

Kazuto gaped slightly. "… No…"

"Then…?"

"Yo," Aqua suddenly interjected.

Wolbach snarled in annoyance. **"Blue. Zip it."**

"No. What're you two even doing?"

 **"Training her."**

"Doesn't look like it's going well."

 **"Oh she'll be his pet soon."**

Darkness beamed with excitement. "I will!?"

"No!" Kazuto hollered. "Stop saying things like that! Geez… for pete's sake, there's got to be a way to deal with this." Kazuto sighed heavily and then folded his arms in thought. ' _Okay… let's see. Darkness views pain as a good thing, which is probably part of the reason she can't hit anything, she's too busy being excited about the idea of getting hit by the enemy in addition to her lack of training._ '

 **' _Promise her rough, vigorous sex._ '**

' _I'm not going to use sex as a tool like that. And that's final._ '

 **' _Albedo and Freya will be sad about that._ '**

' _Their situation is different. Darkness doesn't love me. She's simply horny without an outlet._ ' He remained silent in thought before narrowing his eyes in consideration. "Darkness."

"Y – Yes?" she stammered slightly, surprised at the abrupt firmness to his words.

"Pick up your sword again."

"Okay…" she answered in mild confusion raising her sword.

"Wrong," he chastised bluntly, causing her to blush and stiffen. "Turn your body more to the side."

"Like… this?" she questioned, adjusting her position as he suggested.

Again, with harsh bluntness in his voice, he chided, "Wrong. Other side. Your dominant arm forward."

As he told her, she changed her posture accordingly.

"Shift your feet so that your dominant side is forward."

She stammered as she looked at her feet to ensure they were in the right spot. "R – Right, just give me a –"

"Now!" he demanded harshly.

"Eep!" she shrieked, quickly adjusting her posture.

"Now, I'm going to teach you a few basic techniques and you're going to learn them."

"I – I'll try…"

"No! You _will_! If you fail you'll be barred from entering the Dungeon until you do."

"R – Right!"

"Wow…" Chris muttered as she and the others watched Kazuto train Darkness.

"Yeah…" Megumin gasped in surprise.

Aqua frowned in confusion. "Um... I don't get it, why's he acting like some weird drill instructor?"

 **"Idiot,"** Wolbach chided. **"He's basically rewarding her."**

"Eh?"

 **"She's a masochist. To her, pain is pleasure. That includes mental pain. To her, the way he's acting so rough and rude with her is the way most women would react if he charmed them."**

* * *

More than an hour passed as Kazuto sparred and trained with Darkness, teaching her basic swings, how to hold her sword properly, and defensive motions.

Darkness stood, exhausted and huffing, covered in sweat.

Kazuto smiled as he set his sword down. "Good work." After a moment he sighed and then reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring for Darkness' shock collar and aimed it at her.

Darkness arched her back and moaned intensely as the electricity shot through her body, lasting nearly half a minute before Kazuto lowered his hand, causing the shocks to stop and the blonde to collapse, flushed and panting with arousal. "Amazing…"

Kazuto sighed deeply in disbelief. ' _This is so wrong… but I guess if my being her dom is what it takes to keep her safe I'll have to play along for a bit._ ' "Come on, let's finish up. I want to do some of my own training."

Megumin blinked in surprise. "You're going to train too?"

"Of course. I can always get stronger."

 **' _Indeed,_ '** Wolbach commented.

"Huh, actually, I have an idea."

They all answered in unison. "Huh?"

"You should all train too. At least a little."

"I do magic," Megumin rebutted.

"I'll be training in magic too. Besides, what use is magic if your body's weak?"

"My body's fine."

 **"How old are you?"** Wolbach questioned.

"Sixteen."

 **"… Yeah, your body ain't or you'd actually have breasts."**

Megumin's face instantly turned a vibrant red with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "Wh – What do you know!? You're just a sword!"

Kazuto put his hand between them. "Alright you two, come on. Let's just start training, okay?"

Aqua folded her arms doubtfully. "And what would a gamer like you know about physical training?"

"My older sister was in the military and my younger sister is a kendo ace, so I know a few things about physical training. And damn was she terrifying at times…"

Chris then stepped forward and added in. "Well I think it'd be good to do it."

Aqua huffed lightly at her. "Why? It's not like you'll be going into the Dungeon."

Chris stiffened in shock. ' _Has she figured it out…?_ '

"You're too scared after all."

Kazuto slapped a hand over his face in exasperation. "Let's just get to work…"

* * *

Kazuto took the others through a series of physical and mental exercises, though he could not yet understand how to work the mana crystals.

After the others returned to the church, Kazuto sat on a rock with a sigh of exhaustion.

 **' _I wonder how long this city will keep standing…_ ' **Wolbach wondered with concern.

Kazuto raised an eyebrow in confusion. ' _Well so long as the tower holds over the Dungeon it should be fine._ '

 **' _When the others find out that an Adventurer from here is blasting Nazarick I doubt it…_ '**

' _And just how do you know that? We don't even know Nazarick is here yet._ '

 **' _Well Megumin has been using it as target practice._ '**

Kazuto remained silent. He certainly not expected that answer. ' _… Heh?_ '

 **' _What? You didn't know?_ '**

' _No!_ '

 **' _Ah._ '**

' _… Not good…_ '

 **' _I'll say._ '**

Kazuto groaned heavily and put a hand over his face in frustration. "You've got to be kidding me… what a mess…"

Sometime later, Hestia noticed Kazuto leaving the church and rushed to him in bewilderment. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Out," he answered simply.

Hestia frowned in concern. "Can I come wi –?"

"No. You and the others will stay here. I should be back in a few hours." Without another word, he left.

"Kazuto…"

* * *

After a short walk, the sun having gone down and the stars now hanging high in the sky, Kazuto reached the spot where he and Megumin had been practicing Megumin's Explosion and looked at the mausoleum from a distance.

"Hm… it certainly looks like Nazarick from here," Kazuto wondered.

 **"Because it _is_ Nazarick,"** Wolbach affirmed.

"Let's wait until we get close enough to determine that."

* * *

Kazuto approached the structure, a large, ornate series of pillars and walkways surrounding a massive stone building. Though its splendor was slightly ruined by the massive craters surrounding the area.

Kazuto chuckled weakly. "… She really did a number on it… Just great…" Looking around once more, he sighed in frustration. "I just hope I can calm everyone down…"

 **"Yeah, or we could have some problems,"** Wolbach remarked.

Kazuto approached the mausoleum in the center and walked around its periphery. "Now… to find the door… Ah, there it is." He saw a large assortment of pillars with an immense entryway in the center.

Wolbach warned, **"I'd ready yourself, they might not realize it's you at first."**

Kazuto nodded in agreement.

* * *

As he walked through the doorway, the first area he laid eyes upon was a seemingly endless graveyard.

"Okay… First Floor. If memory serves, Floors One through Three are where Shalltear guards. Geez… I hope she doesn't come after me, I don't know if I'd be able to beat her… Oh wait, she's a True Vampire… they have an uncanny sense of smell…"

Wolbach remarked, **"Then you should be okay. Because, to me at least, your mana is still the same."**

"Somehow I doubt I smell like Momonga…"

At that moment, a round, purple, pulsating portal opened in front of him. "Ah sh –" he began as he grabbed Excalibur, only for a figure to emerge from it and tackle him.

"Lord Momonga!" a voice exclaimed.

"Gah!" he grunted as the figure hugged him tightly. He looked down and saw a girl who appeared younger than him with pale, shiny skin, silver-pink hair and bright red eyes, her hair tied back in a long ponytail with violet and maroon bonnet, she wore a purple-black evening dress with dark red accents and a large skirt, a black coat overtop it with long sleeves, a high collar that covered the entirety of her neck, and a moderate bust, though Kazuto noticed they seemed slightly odd.

The girl held him tight against her cleavage. "It's been so long, Lord Momonga!" She blinked in confusion. "Wait… you feel shorter…" she pulled away from him and looked at Kazuto.

Kazuto laughed weakly as she looked at him. "H – Hi… It's good to see you, Shalltear…" Her gaze remained keened on him curiously. ' _Uh-oh…_ '

"Why are you so small?" she asked.

Wolbach suddenly interjected, **"This is what he really looks like."**

Shalltear looked around in bewilderment. "Wolbach?"

Kazuto pulled Excalibur out of its sheathe slightly. "I don't know the specifics, but she's sealed in her."

Shalltear furrowed her brow, her eyes wiggling in confusion before she slumped, her eyes spinning. "I don't… understand… any of this…"

 **"I see your brains are still in your tits,"** Wolbach chided.

Shalltear twitched an eyebrow as a tic mark formed on her forehead. "Sh – Shut up, you old hag!"

 **"Try and make me, Loli Big-Boobs!"**

"The hell kinda name is that!?

"Enough!" Kazuto suddenly shouted.

The duo went silent instantly.

"Geez…"

Shalltear blinked in surprise and then smiled happily. "I don't really understand what's going on, but it's good to have you back, Lord Momonga."

"Thanks… Shalltear, is the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown still in the throne room?"

Shalltear tilted her head slightly in confusion. "Yes, as far as I'm aware."

"Take me to it."

Shalltear blinked in mild confusion. "You can't teleport there?"

"No, I don't have the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown on me right now."

Shalltear frowned suspiciously. "I… see."

Wolbach interjected, **"Don't worry, he really is Momonga."**

"If you say so…"

 **"He's just not in his Thought Projected form."**

"Thought Projected?" Shalltear asked with bewilderment.

Kazuto interjected, "I'll explain everything after everyone gathers in the throne room."

"Um… Wiz is busy elsewhere though."

"I'm aware. It's best she isn't here anyway."

* * *

Soon, the duo were stood within a large room with a ceiling so high he could not see where it stopped.

"… This room feels a lot bigger…"

 **"Or you're just smaller,"** Wolbach remarked, causing Kazuto to twitch an eyebrow in embarrassment.

Suddenly, the massive doors to the room burst open.

"Lord Momonga!" a voice exclaimed.

Kazuto turned in surprise and saw a tall, beautiful woman with long, flowing, knee-length, lustrous, jet-black hair, a long strand falling between her golden amber eyes, which had vertically slit pupils, and at her waist were a pair of large, black, feathered wings, and she wore elbow-length white gloves, a low-hanging white dress that reached the floor, open portions that exposed her full hips, and a golden necklace modeled after a spider web that flowed over her extensive bust.

The woman rushed forward and tackled him tightly in a hug, burying his head in her immense cleavage.

Kazuto flailed in an attempt to escape her grasp. ' _Can't… Breathe!_ ' "Boobs…" he groaned as he attempted to free himself.

The woman pulled away from him slightly in thought. "Hm? You want to see my breasts?" She then smiled warmly and put a hand on her top. "As you wish."

"H – Huh?!" he grunted, jumping back quite a distance before turning bright red. "W – W – Wait a second, Albedo!"

Albedo tilted her head in mild confusion.

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. ' _Good god… was she always like this…?_ '

"Something the matter Lord Momonga?"

Kazuto gulped slightly as he gazed at the woman, averting his attention slightly as he could not find a comfortable place to look. "Um… no… it's, um… nothing…"

Moments later another figure entered the room, a massive, four-armed, insectoid being with a body made of light blue crystal. The creature looked at Kazuto curiously before scratching its head. "Has he always been this small? Are you sure he's Lord Momonga?"

Albedo looked at the crystalline creature with great offense. "You what, Cocytus?! It doesn't matter _what_ form he is in, he is _always_ Lord Momonga! And the staff will prove it!"

Cocytus stiffened and stepped back. "I – I didn't mean to… um… nevermind…"

"So… this is what you really look like?" a new voice asked.

Kazuto turned to the side and saw two short girls with dark skin, blonde hair, pointed ears, and mismatched eyes.

One had messy hair, her left eye violet and the right green, wearing a scaly, red top underneath a white and gold blazer, white trousers, and white shoes.

The other had neatly combed, straight hair in a bob cut, her left eye green and her right purple, wearing a similar uniform to the other with a violet top underneath her blazer, a short, pleated skirt, thigh-high stockings, brown boots, and a green cape, holding a large, knotty staff with a curve at the top.

Kazuto looked at the duo in thought. "Ah, Aura and Mare, correct?" ' _Why did Peroroncino make them Dark Elves again…?_ '

The two nodded excitedly.

Kazuto turned to the red-clad girl first. "And yes, Aura, this is what I really look like. The other form is sort of a Thought Projection."

"I like it," Mare added.

Kazuto's attention was drawn away as another voice spoke to him.

"It is good to have you back, Lord Momonga."

He turned to meet a tall woman with long, waist-length, deep crimson hair, two long horns emerging from the sides of her head, swept bangs above her slitted, dark red eyes, wearing a long, floor-length, jagged black dress with red accents, a long cape flowing down her back, the front of her dress open with the exception of two jagged points covering the tips of her luscious cleavage.

Kazuto stiffened and gulped slightly as he looked at the woman. "M – Maou… It's good to be here… and in the flesh."

The red-haired beauty, Maou, smiled warmly. "I have the Sins watching over the Tomb during our meeting. They're all anxious to meet you once more, my Lord."

Kazuto nodded in understanding. "I am too. But first, I need to ask, where is the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown?"

"Where it always is and has been, my Lord."

back of the room and pushed on a section of the wall which shifted and opened, revealing an extremely tall, crooked, golden staff with a cup at its top, an ornament of seven snakes, each with a different colored jewel in its mouth. ' _There it is…_ ' he noted in awe at the staff, which was easily as tall as he was if not higher.

Taking a gulp, he reached his hand out and wrapped it around the object, before he felt a surge of heat and power through his body. ' _Oh this is going to hurt…_ '

Albedo and the others gasped as Kazuto was engulfed in light combined with howls of agony. "Lord Momonga!"

As the light died down, Kazuto was seemingly gone, replaced a large, hulking figure, a tall, humanoid skeleton with glowing red eyes and a glowing orb where its heart would be, clad in ornate purple and gold robes, long, bone-like pauldrons with red jewels on its shoulders, still holding the staff.

"Okay… what the hell?" it muttered.

"Lord Momonga!" Albedo cried out before hugging him.

' _Wait… I'm… in the form of the character I created in Yggdrasil…?_ ' Kazuto muttered in awe as he took stock of his new appearance.

Aura and Mare looked at him in surprise.

' _Oh god, I can't tell if this is awesome or horrible…_ ' He then looked down at his now skeletal hands and flexed them curiously. ' _Is this… seriously happening…? And why am I not freaking out? Wait… it probably has something to do with being an undead. Yeah, if I remember right, the Undead classes have a passive skill that prevents mental status ailments, which I guess extreme emotion would be one. Good to know. But…_ '

"Lord Momonga?" Albedo questioned with concern.

"Yes, Albedo?" he asked, his voice a much deeper baritone than normal.

"Is something troubling you?"

Kazuto shook his head in response. "No. I'm simply getting reacquainted with this body." ' _I don't know how… but I don't have HUD… but it's like I can sense how much mana I've got… it's so weird. And all the knowledge of spellcraft and how to use my spells… I know it all…_ '

"You seem surprised," Maou interjected.

"Hm? Did you know this would happen?"

Maou merely smiled silently.

Kazuto sighed and then looked down at his hand once more. "Hm… I can't very well go back to town looking like this… I wonder…" After a moment of thought he waved his hand out wide. "Transformation!" He was then engulfed in light before returning to his normal appearance. "Good. It still works." He then frowned in concern. ' _I can still detect all of my abilities. That isn't good, Lady Hestia might be able to see that on my Falna. I need something to limit my abilities at least temporarily._ '

After a moment of thought, Kazuto stuck one of his hands out. "Create Greater Item!" A flash of light formed in his hand before a short, thin, necklace of iron appeared in the palm of his hand. "… Not what I expected but it will do." He fit the necklace around his neck and trembled slightly as he felt a pressure around his body. ' _Y – Yep… definitely knocked my abilities back a bit…_ '

Shalltear tilted her head in curiosity. "What's that, Lord Momonga?"

"A Limiter," he answered plainly. "It'll help me blend in."

Albedo huffed dismissively. "And why would you do that? Would the mortals not be elated to know the leader of the Supreme Beings is among them?"

"You haven't been outside much, huh?"

"We've had no reason to be. Wiz has been outside the city monitoring the mortals and searching for you."

"Ah. Well, I'm already involved with a group of people, so I need to keep my power hidden for a bit. I don't need them and the goddess to get suspicious."

Albedo frowned suspiciously. "… Goddess?"

Kazuto furrowed his brow in frustration. "… Has Wiz told you _anythi_ – oh right. It's Wiz. Guess I should tell you about the city. The city's called Orario. It's known as the Labyrinth City because it sits on top of a seemingly endless underground labyrinth called the Dungeon. Within the city, humans, Nekomata, elves, dark elves, and beyond live side-by-side with gods and goddesses."

The others remained in silent shock as he continued.

"The mortal beings form contracts with the gods and goddesses. In these contracts, the mortals get inscriptions on their backs called Falna that give them access to increased abilities over normal members of their individual race, and also provide a rough, numerical estimation of their abilities. In return for that, the mortals join what's called a Familia, where they work under that specific deity, and help them with certain tasks or actions the deity simply doesn't have the capability to perform all on their own."

"Interesting," Maou commented, listening closely.

"The people who gain the Falna are called Adventurers and are ranked by Level with their Falna, and their rank is shown by the different metal plates they wear. I'm Level One, and thus have a Copper Plate."

"WHAT!?" Albedo shrieked in shock.

"Loud…" Kazuto grumbled as he lurched back in surprise.

"How dare they mark you at such a low rank!"

Kazuto flattened his brow in disbelief. "Calm down, Albedo. Everyone starts at the bottom." He sighed before redirecting the conversation. "Anyway, I had joined a Familia before I found Nazarick, so I need to keep my identity secret for a bit longer."

"I understand…" she answered in disappointment.

"Though we do have a problem…"

"What is it?" Maou questioned.

"Well, my original body was killed and I was resurrected in a new body alongside a goddess. And I was given a mission. And due to me not knowing details I am kinda regretting that."

"And that is…?" Albedo questioned suspiciously.

"The goddess and I were tasked with killing the Demon King."

The others gazed in disbelief at him.

"Yeah, I know…"

 **"Indeed,"** Wolbach noted.

"I will crush them…" Albedo hissed.

"No," Kazuto retorted bluntly.

"What? But why?! They mean to kill you!"

"They don't even know who I am."

Albedo twitched an eyebrow firmly.

Shalltear gaped in shock. "They… dare not know who you are!?"

Kazuto sighed and demanded, "Calm down at once! I meant that they do not know I am the Demon King when in my human form!"

"O – Oh…"

Kazuto sighed in frustration. "It's only temporary until I find a way back home."

Albedo frowned with uncertainty in response.

Kazuto noticed the others giving him the same look of worry. "Alright, what's up? You all look like I just died."

Wolbach interjected, **"… Seriously, my Lord? You're basically saying you want to abandon us like the rest of the Supreme Beings did."**

Kazuto stiffened in response. "… Ah… I didn't mean it to sound like that. If I can find a way home then I'd say I can probably come back and forth between the worlds." Smiling warmly, he added, "So don't worry, I won't abandon you."

Albedo and the rest sighed in relief.

"Right… now, I should probably head back to the church before the others get worried."

Maou then spoke up. "Shall I have Sebas send one of the Pleiades with you?"

Kazuto put a hand on his chin in thought. "Hm… that would probably be best. But whoever it is, send her _after_ I've left, if she arrives at the same time as me it could rouse suspicion."

Maou bowed in response. "As you wish, Lord Momonga."

"Oh, that's right. One more thing. Whoever it is you choose to send, she is to address me as Kazuto or Kirigaya, not as Momonga or Lord."

"I understand."

Albedo frowned in confusion. "You don't plan on upgrading your equipment?"

"Too risky. I'll earn a bit more money in the Dungeon and then I'll buy what's available in the city. Once I've built up some more funds I may consider acquiring some of the equipment that's here."

"Understood."

* * *

Kazuto sighed as he made his way back toward the church before Hestia came flying at him and tackled him with a hug.

"Kazuto!" she cheered excitedly.

"Gah!"

"Where've you been!?" she demanded with adorably puffed cheeks.

"Exploring."

"Well you certainly took your time," Aqua chided.

 **"Like you care, Blue,"** Wolbach interjected.

Aqua twitched an eyebrow as her cheeks tinted subtly. "I – It's not because I care about him! I need him to get off this rock!"

 **"You need him to get off? Man you're perverted."**

Aqua's entire face turned a vibrant red. "Shut up you despicable sword!"

Megumin then interjected. "So, will we dive into the Dungeon again tomorrow?"

Kazuto sighed scratched his head in thought. "Maybe. I'm still worried about doing that with the way Darkness is."

 **"Why not a job then?"**

Kazuto nodded in agreement. "That may be best. Something simple."

* * *

The next morning, Kazuto and the rest woke up early and prepared to head for the Guild.

Kazuto stopped just outside the church and urged, "Let's go ahead and train before heading out."

Wolbach hummed in thought. **' _Do you really need to?_ '**

' _I don't. But they do._ '

 **' _True._ '**

"Really… so early…?" Aqua groaned.

"Yes. Getting started early will help you be alert for the rest of the day."

"… Fine…"

"So what will we be doing today?" Darkness asked.

"Same as before. Push-ups, sit-ups, and the rest."

Megumin then questioned, "And magic training?"

"We'll do some of that after the physical training. You'll help, right, Excalibur?"

 **"But of course,"** Wolbach answered.

"Right. Then let's get started."

* * *

As the group finished up their course of exercises, Aqua and Megumin laid sprawled out on the ground in exhaustion.

"I think… I lost… all my bones…" Megumin groaned.

Darkness stood nearby, huffing with only mild exhaustion. "That wasn't too bad."

"Says you!" Aqua and Megumin howled.

Kazuto chuckled lightly before chiding, "Now, now. No shouting. Is that really all it takes to exhaust you two?"

His attention was pulled aside when Hestia came up running behind the group before collapsing flat on the ground.

"Lady Hestia!?"

Hestia sat up with exhaustion, panting as she wiped dirt from her face. "What…? I couldn't… let you four… get stronger while I just sat around…"

Kazuto gaped in shock. ' _… Her drive is incredible…_ '

 **' _Indeed…_ '** Wolbach added in surprise. She then addressed Hestia directly. **"You're a Goddess of Homes not combat."**

Hestia pouted with disagreement. "But I can't just sit around and do nothing…!"

Kazuto crouched down next to her and rebuffed, "You're far from doing nothing, Lady Hestia. You're helping us prepare for the magic training and you're even holding down a job to help pay for things. You don't need to push yourself this hard."

Hestia's pout deepened at his words.

Kazuto sighed heavily and then gently patted her head. "Okay, okay. If you really want to join us that's fine. I don't see much reason since you don't do any fighting but I suppose it can't hurt."

"Right!" she cheered. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

 **"If you're that desperate you could do some fetching for us,"** Wolbach remarked.

"Okay!"

Kazuto looked at Wolbach incredulously.

 **"If I'm going to train those two properly I'm going to need a few things. First, some mana crystals, then a few basic spell books, and if you can't find those then some blank journals."**

Hestia nodded as Wolbach continued rattling off her list, the goddess writing it all down on a notepad.

* * *

The group stood in the Guild, looking over the request board for an appropriate job.

"Hm… which job…" Kazuto wondered.

 **"Red, hold it up,"** Wolbach urged.

Megumin then held up one of the fliers, a job to clear a murky lake and purify the water.

"Wow. This should be easy, right, Aqua?"

"Hm?" the blue-haired woman hummed before looking it over.

"You're a water goddess, right? So this should be right up your alley."

"No god powers."

"You don't have _any_ purification powers?"

"Hm… I think I should at least have some basic water purification."

"Good."

* * *

Several hours later, the group were standing at the edge of dark brown, heavily dirtied lake. Aqua, however, was sat in a large cage.

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow. "… Is the cage really necessary?"

 **"It'll protect her from the monsters,"** Wolbach remarked.

"M – Monsters!?"

 **"Well, duh. You think this lake is naturally filthy?"**

"Yes!" Kazuto and Aqua both hollered.

 **"Whatever. Dunk her."**

Darkness quickly did so, releasing the rope holding Aqua above the water, dropping the cage partly into it, after which the water almost instantly began churning.

 **"Start purifying bitch. Lest the gators gonna get ya."**

Aqua paled as the head of a massive purple alligator rose from the water. "EEKK! Purify Water! Purify Water! Purify Water!" The water began pulsing and glowing weakly.

A second alligator emerged the two charged at the cage, the second smacking the cage with its tail, rocking the metal cage harshly.

"Purify Water! Purify Water! Go away!"

The first alligator then clamped its jaws on two of the bars, bending them out.

Kazuto snarled and pulled Excalibur from its sheath.

 **"Oh come on, cool your jets,"** Wolbach urged.

"If this continues Aqua could die, and I won't let that happen." He then charged at full speed towards the group of alligators.

"Purify Water! Purify Water!" Aqua continued shrieking as the alligators continued biting at the cage, before one ripped two the bars off and lunged in at her. "NNOO!"

The beast stopped and lurched back, however, as Kazuto landed on its back and stabbed Excalibur deep.

Aqua widened her eyes in disbelief. "K – Kazuto!?"

"Keep purifying the water! I'll keep them busy!" Kazuto compelled loudly.

"H – Huh? O – Okay!"

Kazuto snarled and jammed the blade into the beast's eye, sending blood spraying in all directions as it thrashed about.

"Purify Water! Purify Water!" Aqua insisted, trying to keep her attention on the water around her.

"Megumin! Blind them!"

Megumin nodded and raised her staff high. "Explosion, Explosion, Explosion!" she called out loudly, setting off a series of explosions around the beasts' heads.

Aqua continued purifying the water, it slowly becoming clearer as time went by.

One of the alligators suddenly lunged at Kazuto atop the other's head. The teen leapt up, narrowly dodging its jaws, and then slammed his sword straight down in the middle of its skull, impaling it.

Aqua gaped in shock as she watched him fight the beasts. "He's… doing that… for me…?"

 **"Oy! Keep purifying!"** Wolbach demanded.

Aqua stiffened and then took a deep breath and put her hands in the water. After several seconds a massive, blue magic circle appeared, encircling the entire lake. "Purification!" she called out loudly as the entire body of water lit up bright blue.

 **' _Jump back now!_ '** Wolbach suddenly howled as the lake lit up, Kazuto doing so immediately.

Kazuto sighed in relief as the alligators thrashed and howled in pain as the pure water burned their hides before looking down and noticing small amounts of smoke rising from his feet.

"Crap! They're not dead yet!" Megumin exclaimed as the alligators charged at the cage once more, Aqua so focused on purifying she did not even notice.

Kazuto snarled and swung his sword to the side tightly and then charged forth with immense force, a cone of energy forming around his blade before launching him forward, impaling through all of the alligators in the lake in tandem, killing them all.

Darkness ran over to the cage and opened the door, Aqua inside, panting with exhaustion. "Are you alright, Aqua?"

Aqua nodded slowly. "Y – Yeah… just tired. We have to get those bodies out of the water or they'll contaminate it again."

Megumin raised her staff and cast another Explosion, launching the corpses of the alligators up out of the water.

 **"Good. Darkness, start cutting them up,"** Wolbach ordered.

Darkness tilted her head in confusion, looked at her sword, and then shrugged her shoulders and went about as commanded.

* * *

Kazuto and the rest made their way back to Orario proper, Kazuto still confused as to why Aqua remained in the cage.

 **"She probably feels safe in it,"** Wolbach explained.

Kazuto sighed before shrugging his shoulders. "Well… whatever. I'm going to turn in the quest, you guys wait out here."

Aqua nodded to him with a smile. "Right."

Kazuto raised an eyebrow in mild confusion. "Something wrong?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"… Nothing."

* * *

Inside the Guild, Luna was wiping down a desk when she noticed Kazuto approaching and smiled. "Ah, Kazuto. Here to turn in another quest?"

"Yep, here you go."

"Right. You've been busy ever since you got here."

"I have to be. If I'm going to make enough for everyone I need to keep busy as often as I can. And quests seem to bring in the most money in a short time."

"I'm surprised you can perform them so well with such a small Familia. Though it just goes to show how…" Luna trailed off and leaned to the side to look at someone behind Kazuto. "Um, is there something I can help you with, Miss?"

Kazuto blinked in confusion and turned to see a woman with long, waist-length, shiny black hair tied back in a ponytail and dark grey eyes wearing a simple, dark brown mantle overtop a plain white blouse with black cuffs and accents, loose, dark brown trousers, black shoes, and a simple, steel sword at her side.

Kazuto flattened his brow incredulously. ' _Out of everyone… they sent Narberal…?_ '

 **' _I would have sent the werewolf._ '**

' _Lupusregina definitely wouldn't be able to keep a secret long enough._ '

The black-haired woman, Narberal, then questioned, "Are there any Familias open to join?"

Luna turned to Kazuto. "I'll get this job exchanged, so why don't you talk to her, Kazuto?"

Kazuto nodded in agreement.

* * *

Shortly later, the two sat in one of the lounge sofas away from the main area of the Guild.

"Is there a reason you wished to talk to me?" Narberal asked suspiciously.

Wolbach then noted with annoyance, **"It's Momonga you daft Doppelganger."**

Narberal paled and bowed deeply. "Forgive me, my Lord!"

"H – Hey, keep your voice down," he urged quietly. "I don't want anyone figuring out who I am."

"I – I see…" she muttered as she sat back down.

"Now, I assume that Maou told you the basics?"

"Yes…" she answered uneasily.

"Something wrong?"

"I didn't quite understand the name I'm to address you as."

"Kirigaya. Or Kazuto. But definitely not as 'my Lord' or 'Momonga'."

"Yes, sir."

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow slightly. "… Just. Kazuto."

"B – But, I need to –"

"That's an order. No 'lord', no 'master', no 'sir', just my name. Pick the one you prefer and use that."

"Y – Yes, Kazuto…" she answered unsurely.

Kazuto nodded with a smile. "That's good. Also, during your time as an Adventurer, I don't think Narberal will be a good name to go by. So… outside Nazarick your name is Nabe."

Nabe nodded in reply. "I understand, my Lo – er… Kazuto."

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. "… I guess it's a start."

Luna then approached the two with a small tray. "Alright, here's your pay for the job, seven hundred fifty Vals."

Kazuto nodded in appreciation as he emptied the coins into a pouch. "Thanks, Luna."

She then turned her attention to Nabe. "So, will she be joining your Familia?"

"So long as Lady Hestia approves it should be fine."

* * *

The duo then made their way back to join the rest of Kazuto's group, as he explained to Nabe, "Now, the rest of my Familia are out here, so try not to act too –"

His words were interrupted as a new, brash voice howled, "You there!"

A man in overly extravagant armor with a long, red, curve-tipped sword stomped towards Kazuto angrily. "What do you think you're doing?!"

 **"… Who's the weirdo?"** Wolbach asked in annoyance.

Kazuto tilted his head in mild confusion. "No idea." He then took note of the two girls alongside the man, one with long, red, braided hair and fuchsia eyes, the other with tied up, long green hair and violet eyes, both in extremely revealing outfits. "Two girls with him are kinda cute."

 **"I guess. All three of them look like cannon fodder."**

The man then completely ignored Kazuto and walked towards the cage. "My goddess, why are you imprisoned such?"

Aqua looked at the man curiously. "Hm? I'm not, it's just comfy in here."

He growled angrily and then scowled at Kazuto. "Grr… what have you done to her you fiend!?"

Kazuto immediately noticed Nabe tensing and raised a hand slightly to command her to stay in place. Kazuto then looked at the man with irritation. "Okay… first off who the hell are you?"

The red-haired girl frowned with great offense at him. "How rude! He's Kyouya Mitsurugi, the wielder of Gram and the man who'll beat the Demon King and save the world!"

Wolbach groaned in disbelief. **"… Who the fuck gave this idiot a Demon Sword to fight against a Demon King with?"**

Nabe drew her sword and prepared to charge at Kyouya, though Kazuto grabbed her ponytail and held her in place.

"And it was the task gifted me by the goddess Aqua whom you have caged like some animal!" Kyouya declared proudly.

 **"Well that answers that question. Doubt she even remembers you."**

"Um… who are you again?" Aqua questioned.

Darkness lurched away from the armored man in disgust. "Normally I prefer to _be_ hit, but… I really want to hit this man."

"Agreed," Megumin hissed.

"I want to cut him in half," Nabe growled.

"I demand you free Aqua-Sama at once!" Kyouya howled.

Kazuto huffed in derision. "She can get out on her own."

"What do you take me for, a fool?" he snarled before grabbing two of the cage's bars and breaking them off.

Wolbach groaned in annoyance. **"… There goes the deposit…"**

Aqua gaped in disbelief. "Gah! Why'd you do that!?"

"To let you –" Kyouya began to explain before Aqua interrupted him.

"Splash!" she shouted before a blast of water hit the man, sending him flying. "Do you have any idea how much the deposit for that cage was?!"

Kyouya rubbed his nose in pain. "M – My apologies, Aqua-Sama, I just –"

"Why don't you just go before cause any more trouble?" Kazuto interrupted.

Kyouya turned to him, disgusted. "Me? You're the one who put Aqua-Sama in a cage you rogue! And I bet you manipulated those girls as well!"

Nabe scowled at him and readied her sword once more.

Kazuto glanced to her an urged quietly, "Don't do anything unnecessary, Nabe."

"Cutting his head off seems highly necessary," she answered quietly.

 **"Aqua, what kind of bullshit you feed this dumbass?"** Wolbach groaned.

Aqua shook her head in bewilderment. "The same stuff I told Kazuto, I think. I mean, I reincarnated so many people each day I don't even remember this weirdo!"

"Enough of this!" Kyouya howled before drawing Gram. "If you insist on antagonizing Aqua-Sama I've no choice but to put you down!"

"You're the one antagonizing her," everyone retorted in unison.

 **"And what you plan on doing with the oversized butter knife?"** Wolbach taunted.

Kyouya huffed with a smirk. "You're a brazen boy."

"It wasn't me it was the sword."

"You really are an idiot. Swords don't talk."

 **"Oi dumbass! I can! And you look ridiculous in that outfit!"** Wolbach hollered.

Nabe tightened her grip on her sword, growing more irritated as Kyouya continued speaking, Kazuto sighing in exasperation.

Kyouya huffed. "So will you fight or run like a coward?"

Kazuto turned to him with a bored expression. "Sorry, you say something?"

"Tch, brat."

Nabe had finally had all she could handle and, in almost an instant, she was right next to Kyouya with her sword pressed up against his neck. "I have had enough of this."

Megumin stumbled back in shock. ' _S – So fast!_ '

Kazuto slapped a hand over his face in disbelief. 'Why _did they have to send Narberal!?_ '

Kyouya scowled at Kazuto. "So you're such a coward you send women to fight me?"

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow in disgust. "A: She acted on her own, I don't tell them what to do. B: She just hates you and your stupidity."

"I wonder why such a beautiful woman is hanging around a ruffian like you," Kyouya taunted before reaching to wrap one arm around Nabe's waist.

Nabe narrowed her eyes in disgust and grabbed his arm, snapping it like a twig. "Don't touch me, filthy creature."

Kazuto slammed his hand over his face in exasperation. ' _Geez…_ '

The green-haired girl gasped in shock. "H – How mean! Kyouya-Sama gave you a compliment!"

"I don't let filth touch me," Nabe retorted coldly.

Kazuto put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her away from Kyouya slightly. "Don't kill the idiot."

Kyouya suddenly grinned and swung Gram up at Nabe.

Nabe turned and raised her sword to block, however, Gram passed straight through it. She narrowly avoided the blade by jumping back, however, she was left with a long gash in her arm.

Kazuto's eyes lit up with fire and he drew Excalibur, charging at Kyouya with intense speed, put his sword into a reverse grip, and slammed the pommel against the man's throat, causing him to cough violently before dropping to his knees, after which Kazuto put Excalibur back into a regular hold and slammed the pommel against the back of Kyouya's neck over and over until he was prone to the ground in pain. "Never. Do that. Again." He then placed the edge of his blade right against Kyouya's neck with a dark frown. "Leave. Now. And if I ever see you near Aqua again my sword won't stop."

Wolbach added in, **"And leave Gram where it is."**

"Y – You can't be serious!" Kyouya argued before Kazuto dug his sword deeper against the man's neck.

"You heard the sword, leave it."

"Okay, okay!" he shouted, dropping the blade.

"Now, you and your fangirls get out of here. Now."

Kyouya and the two girls with him immediately jumped up and ran far away from Kazuto's group, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.

* * *

 **And fin! That ends the third chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure! I hope everyone enjoyed it, be sure to let me know in a review if you did. If you were confused, unsure, or had questions on anything leave a review with your concerns and I will address what I can in the reviewer response. If your question involves future events, harem members, or details on characters I most likely will not be able to answer it there though, so on that front you may have better luck in a PM. If you did not enjoy the chapter, post a review if you must, though please try to have a more cogent argument than "it sucks". Anyway, I do not really have much more to say, so until the next chapter, bye-bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV**

 **Greetings and salutations all my wonderful readers! I have returned with yet another chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure. I hoped everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, as well as enjoy this one. So be sure to leave a review letting me know if you do. As usual, I would like to thank my coauthor, Bakuto Masaki, for all of his help with the story thus far and in the future. Anyway, on with the reviewer responses!**

 **KiriaMizuno: Technically that's how she actually is, but I've been known to change details about a character for my own entertainment, but I'm still undecided on whether that'll stick with her or not.**

 **ENDDRAGON369: No, it's the Gram Eugene used in ALO.**

 **SaintInfernalNeos: Glad to hear it. Strea is best girl flat out. Sorry, I even like her better than Sugu.**

 **That's my goal with those three. It's the Demon Queen character from Maouyu Maou Yuusha or Demon King and Hero. Yeah, I kinda made it easy for anyone who knows about Nazarick to figure that out. That it will. Of course, because nothing _ever_ goes wrong with Kazuto.**

 **I can't guarantee it'll be terribly soon but it will happen before it did in canon. Though if you know who Strea is then you can probably figure out how Sugu gets involved. As for the older sister, guess you'll just have to keep reading, though I'm fairly certain nobody will guess it. Hm... giving a reward to the first person that does might be interesting though.**

 **BlackAuraWolf: In this story he does. You're _very_ close but it's not her.**

 **correnhimself316: Ah, I see. Never been much for the series honestly.**

 **sinnerlust: I'm going to assume you mean Kazuto, not Kazuya. I don't consider how he died to be an overly important detail, and he had to die before the start of the SAO Incident, plus I found Kazuma's death very funny so I just went with it.**

 **Fmwaver: It's the Freya from Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon. If it's on the cycle I will.**

 **DrackNath: Glad to hear it! Above all, entertainment is my goal.**

 **And that is all there is for now. So on with the main event!**

 **ATTENTION: There is a lemon in this chapter. You have been warned!**

* * *

Kazuto placed the edge of his blade right against Kyouya's neck with a dark frown. "Leave. Now. And if I ever see you near Aqua again my sword won't stop."

Wolbach added in, **"And leave Gram where it is."**

"Y – You can't be serious!" Kyouya argued before Kazuto dug his sword deeper against the man's neck.

"You heard the sword, leave it."

"Okay, okay!" he shouted, dropping the blade.

"Now, you and your fangirls get out of here. Now."

Kyouya and the two girls with him immediately jumped up and ran far away from Kazuto's group, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.

"Good," Kazuto snarled before picking up Gram, blinking in surprise. "Huh, it's actually pretty heavy."

Aqua added, "You know, Kazuto, that sword is going to be useless to you."

Wolbach snickered silently. **' _Shows what she knows._ '**

"It was what Kyouya chose to take with him when he reincarnated so only he can use its powers."

 **' _How the bitch got ahold of it is a mystery. Hm…_ '**

' _Yes?_ ' Kazuto wondered.

 **' _We "sell" Gram. And by sell, I mean take it back to Nazarick and withdraw a lot of the Vals from the treasury._ '**

' _Sounds good. That still leaves the cage though._ '

 **' _Find a blacksmith that'd buy it for scrap._ '**

' _Hm… that's probably best._ ' Kazuto then turned his attention to Narberal. "Hm… we should probably get Nabe joined to the Familia.

"Why don't we deal with the sword and the cage first?" Darkness offered.

Kazuto thought for a moment and then sighed. "You guys head home, I'll deal with the cage and Gram."

"Okay," Megumin answered with a nod.

Aqua frowned slightly at the teen.

Kazuto noticed this and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Something wrong?"

Aqua stiffened and then turned away suddenly. "No. it's nothing."

"Okay…?"

* * *

After departing from the others, Kazuto dragged the cart the cage was sat on to the edge of the city before groaning in exhaustion. "Geez… Dragging this cage is hard with the Limiter on…"

 **"I bet."**

Kazuto sighed before looking around suspiciously and then pulled the necklace Limiter on, feeling his full power flow into his body. "Now, it's time to – woo… phew boy, didn't realize it'd make me so lightheaded."

 **"I see."**

Kazuto put his hand up, causing the cage to seemingly vanish, and then looked at Gram in thought. "Now, to put this thing in the armory."

* * *

Kazuto made his way to Nazarick with Gram in hand, where he was met by Maou waiting at the entrance.

She noticed the sword on his back and blinked curiously.

He explained, "Some douchebag had this, I intend to put it in the armory."

"Understood."

"I'll also be taking a few thousand gold with me. I'll need to find a way to change it into local currency though."

 **"Should be easy enough,"** Wolbach remarked.

* * *

Kazuto groaned as he made his way back into Orario, having used some of his magics to transfer the gold coins stored in Nazarick's vault into Vals, and then resumed dragging the cage, now filled with the coins, to find a place to sell the cage.

"Okay, now to sell this scrappy cage. But where?"

As he looked around, he noticed a sign hanging in front of a modest shop which was engraved with "Lisbeth's Smithy".

"Ah. This place should work."

He walked into the shop and looked around for the owner, to no avail, before hearing a loud thump behind the counter before a woman groaned in pain. As she stood, Kazuto took a better look at her. A young woman with short, chin-length, messy pink hair which was held to one side with a white clip, parted above her dark red eyes, wearing a red and white dress strongly resembling a maid uniform with yellow accents, the white blouse underneath nicely accentuating her moderate bust, and knee-high brown boots.

"Ow…" she groaned as she looked around and then neatened up her dress and hair when she saw Kazuto. "S – Sorry about that! I was just moving some supplies. I'm… Lisbeth, you?"

"Kazuto Kirigaya," he answered.

Lisbeth pouted slightly and muttered under her breath, "That's a really Japanese name…"

Kazuto's eyes widened as he raced up to the counter. "You know about Japan?! Did you die and get sent here by a blue haired idiot named Aqua or a silver haired cutie named Eris?"

Lisbeth shrunk back in surprise at his actions. "U – Um… E – Eris… How'd you know? Are you from SAO too?"

"No, I'm – wait, why would you be here from SAO?"

Lisbeth's expression lowered somberly. "Oh… you must've died before it happened then."

Kazuto narrowed his eyes with worry. "… What happened in SAO…?"

Lisbeth sighed heavily. "So, you haven't heard. It turns out the whole thing was a trap. Kayaba lured ten thousand of us players there and sealed us in the game, removing the log out feature entirely. He said that if someone outside tried to remove the NerveGear or our HP reached zero then the NerveGear would fry our brains. I… didn't last very long."

"I see… Hey, how about we make a deal, Liz?"

"Liz?"

"It's short for Lisbeth, isn't it?"

"Um… guess so."

"Do you have any use for iron?"

Liz nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, of course, I can never get enough."

He then pointed to the giant iron cage outside the shop. "It's all yours."

"Whoa… how much?"

"Just explain as much as you remember of what Kayaba said."

Liz nodded in understanding and sighed as she thought back. "He was basically on some maniacal tangent about Aincrad being his world. He also said that there was a way to end the game, that being to clear all one hundred floors and kill the Boss at the top."

Wolbach hummed in consideration. **"Huh. So he tied the link to this world and yours to a single Monster. Though killing him would also send the survivors back. That's one hell of a chance for you all."**

"Not really," Kazuto argued. "All of the monsters on the higher floors are absurdly difficult. Plus, there's not any way to kill him from within the game."

"Um, what?" Liz muttered in confusion.

Wolbach continued, **"The NerveGear isn't what it seems. Rather than just putting you in control of a virtual person, it actually transfers your consciousness to a false body in another location. Yup. And that thing up there is quite literally his own world he created. Quite powerful and _old_ magic that."**

Liz tilted her head in bewilderment. "Magic?"

 **"It's called Mind-Transfer Magic. Basically, this Kayaba person cast a spell that, through those NerveGear things, transfers your mind into a false body that he created."**

Liz frowned incredulously. "But that doesn't make sense, we got to create our own avatars for the game."

 **"Whatever technology you used to make that he likely linked the magic to. And then when you all came here he ripped that illusion away."**

Liz brought her arms up to her chest and tightened her hands timidly. "But why would anyone do something like that…? People are dying because of that!"

 **"Gods only ever care about their amusement."**

Liz trembled subtly as tears began to form in her eyes. "He's not a god, he's a demon…"

 **"Demons are far friendlier."**

Kazuto tightened his fists with rage. "I'll stop him."

"Huh?" Liz stuttered in surprise.

"If he's really turned SAO into a real-life Death Game, then I'll bring it all crashing down. I'll stop his plans."

"How? You're not one of SAO's players…"

"But I can still get into Aincrad."

 **"I'd love to know how,"** Wolbach remarked.

"I'll find a way. And then I'll save the people trapped in there."

Liz widened her eyes in awe before tensing her hands. "If you're going to do that, then I'll do whatever I can to help. Though… you probably want to do something about your clothes…"

Kazuto tilted his head curiously and then glanced down, seeing that his current outfit was heavily worn and tattered. "… Ah."

Wolbach sighed in exasperation. **"… So, Liz, got anything for him?"**

Liz put a finger on her chin in thought. "Hm… I'll go take a look."

* * *

A few minutes later, Liz returned with an outfit composed of light armor, a blue shirt, and brown trousers and handed it to Kazuto. "How about this outfit? It's cheap but it's more durable than your tracksuit."

Kazuto looked it over and nodded appreciatively. "I like it."

Liz smiled pleasantly before she began fidgeting lightly. "Though embarrassingly it was just sorta something I made as a test of my skills in this world, I molded it after the starting equipment from SAO."

Kazuto gaped slightly. "You made this from memory? That's incredible."

Liz's face began to tint the same color as her hair. "Don't mention it…"

"How much do you want for it?"

Liz looked at him in surprise and then shook her head. "Oh, nothing, the iron from that cage will last me at least a week, so consider it a fair trade."

Wolbach snickered subtly. **"Think of it as a gift from a new girlfriend."**

Liz's face instantly turned a vibrant red. "I – I – It's not like that at all!"

 **"Rriigghhtt."**

After changing, Kazuto came back out of the back room clad in the new armor, a blue tunic, grey-brown, fingerless gloves, light, leather armor over his torso, long, brown trousers, and light brown boots. He looked himself over and then nodded in affirmation. "Huh. Not bad. I like it."

 **"Looks good on you,"** Wolbach complimented.

Kazuto turned to Liz and flashed a big smile. "Thanks, Liz. I really appreciate it."

Liz nodded apprehensively with a tint to her cheeks.

* * *

As Kazuto made his return to the church, Hestia burst from the room with excitement and tackled him in a hug.

"Kazu!" she cheered giddily.

Aqua huffed as she folded her arms. "What took ya, NEET?"

"Sorry, got busy," Kazuto explained with a smile as he patted Hestia's head.

Hestia nodded in understanding before seeing the immense pack filled with Vals. "Whoa! Where'd you get that?!"

"An idiot threatened Nabe and Aqua. So I beat him and sold his sword. Was worth quite a lot."

Wolbach added, **"Yep. Hephaestus Familia really wanted Gram."**

Hestia furrowed her brow in thought at the sword's words. "Gram? I've heard that name before… well, whatever. Oh! I got promoted today!"

"Really?" Kazuto asked excitedly.

Hestia nodded with a bright smile. "Yup! Before I was just one of the workers in the back but now I'm being allowed to work at the counter, which brings in more money!"

Kazuto smiled as well. "Great to hear." His mile quickly turned into a frown, however. "Though I'm sorry you have to hold a job."

Hestia shook her head, still smiling brightly. "Don't be. It's normal for the smaller Familias to have even their god do at least some work. Besides, I'd feel bad if I didn't contribute in some way."

"And I feel bad that you have to."

"Even if we were the biggest Familia I still would. I don't like the idea of being helped and taken care of without giving something back."

 **"Good,"** Wolbach remarked.

"Um… Kazu, can I ask you something…?"

Kazuto raised an eyebrow in thought but shrugged anyway. "Sure."

Hestia pouted and then looked at Nabe, sitting in the corner of the room silently. "Where'd you find that woman? She won't talk to any of us or even tell us her name."

"Met her when we turned in the last quest and her name is Nabe. She wants to join the Familia."

"R – Really!?"

Nabe merely nodded wordlessly.

Kazuto frowned slightly and then turned to Hestia. "Hang on a moment," he requested before walking over to Nabe. Quietly, he urged, "What's your problem? They're our allies."

"But most are humans…" she answered quietly in disgust.

"So? Until the Staff transformed me so was I. Look, I know you don't like humans, and on the whole I don't really blame you, but Megumin and Darkness are good people. They have their… quirks, but they're not evil."

"I see…"

"At the very least be cordial with them. You don't have to like them, but don't antagonize them."

"Okay…"

"Everything okay?" Hestia asked with worry.

Kazuto turned with a nod. "Yeah, it's fine." He then looked back at Nabe. "Now, to join the Familia, Hestia needs to inscribe her Falna on your back."

Nabe frowned slightly and then began removing her clothing.

Kazuto gaped and covered his eyes. "H – H – Hey! Not out here!"

"Th – This way," Hestia urged, catching Nabe by the arm and pulling her down into the back room.

* * *

Shortly later, Hestia and Nabe returned, Hestia smiling proudly. "I'm getting so many Children this week…"

Kazuto smiled as well, happy for her.

After a quiet moment, Wolbach suddenly spoke up. **"… Hestia, can I ask you a question?"**

Hestia looked at the sword curiously. "Hm? Of course. What is it?"

 **"Where are we going to live now?"**

"Huh?"

 **"It's getting rather… crowded."**

"Ah…" she mumbled with a confused frown.

"What if we use that hug bag of Val to buy a house?" Aqua suggested, pointing at the sack of gold.

Kazuto retorted, "That's for equipment and supplies."

Aqua gaped in disbelief. "Hah!? Then what do we do?! There isn't enough room down in that tiny room for all of us!"

 **"… Bunk with Wiz?"** Wolbach suggested, not having any better ideas.

Nabe widened her eyes slightly in surprise. "Wiz –?" she began before Kazuto slapped a hand over her mouth to stop her.

"Bad idea," he chastised. "I somehow doubt she has enough room for this many people." In his mind, he challenged, ' _What are you thinking!? You think she'd be able to keep it together seeing Narberal!?_ '

 **' _Please, this is_ Wiz _we are talking about. She's only seen Narberal in her maid uniform. Chances are she won't even notice._ '**

Hestia sighed in frustration and noted, "It's probably our only choice…"

"Right."

Hestia slumped her shoulders with a deep frown.

Wolbach noticed this and piped up. **"Hestia?"**

Hestia looked at Kazuto somberly. "Kazuto… do you think I'm a bad goddess?"

Kazuto frowned in confusion. "No. Why would I?"

"It's just… talking with Miss Aqua has made me start thinking, I don't have many worshippers, here or on Earth. On this world, there isn't even a church for me. Not only that, I've lived on this world for almost five hundred years and yet you're the only people to ever join my Familia."

"So? You _are_ a good one. For one very important reason. You care." Kazuto smiled and patted the top of her head softly. "I'd say that's what matters most."

Hestia's face reddened as she sputtered and tried, but failed, to reply.

Wolbach then added, **"Yeah. Besides, assholes in power with many worshippers are the worst gods of all. The ones with the most worshippers tended to force people to worship them. I've even heard there was one god who simply called himself God and told people to worship him or he'd throw them in a pit of lava. So, don't worry 'bout that kind of thinking, Hestia."**

"If you say so…"

Kazuto nodded in affirmation. "We do. Trust me, the fact that you're willing to work in a human occupation to help support us makes you a great goddess." Kazuto then pulled her into a light hug, wrapping his arms softly around her. "So don't doubt yourself and just keep being you."

Hestia nodded slowly, trying to hide the fact that her face was practically glowing red.

The others stared at the duo in disbelief.

Hestia realized this and pushed herself away from Kazuto gently, fidgeting and sputtering. "Y – You should head for the Dungeon tomorrow… I – I'll talk to Miss Wiz…"

* * *

The next day, Kazuto, Nabe, Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin prepared to make their way to the Dungeon.

Kazuto turned to the others and remarked, "Okay, let's spend a few hours in here gathering Stones. And I'd say we don't even bother with the board for a while because it looks like all that's left are quests after strong monsters we can't handle." He then addressed Darkness directly. "And remember, Darkness, try to avoid getting hit and try to actually hit the enemies."

Darkness nodded in affirmation. "Right!"

Aqua turned and began to leave, however Kazuto grabbed her collar and held her in place. "Hold it, we're not going anywhere just yet. We need to do our morning training first."

Megumin then added, "Um, Kazuto, I really should be practicing my Explosion."

Kazuto remained silent for a moment. "… Why don't we stick to doing that just when we're actually in the Dungeon?"

Megumin frowned in disappointment. "Okay…"

He then addressed the whole group. "Also, after we save up enough money to get a new place, I intend to start saving every Val don't absolutely need to spend."

Aqua frowned in annoyance. "… Why…?"

Kazuto pointed up into the sky, to Aincrad floating above the clouds. "To get there."

"… Wwwhhhyyy…?"

"Remember when I talked about that game, SAO?"

"Yeah…?"

"That smith I took Gram and the cage to, she was one of the game's players. Ten thousand of them. And she said they've all been trapped inside of it. If they lose all their points in the game, they die for real. And if they can't clear the game, they could be trapped forever."

Megumin gaped in shock. "Wow…"

Kazuto tightened his fists with rage. "I don't know how much I can actually do, but I can't just sit here and do nothing while they're dying up there."

"I see…" Aqua muttered with a small frown.

Kazuto quickly shook his head clear of distractions. "But we can't even get there without enough money, and we can earn that money if we're stronger, so let's keep training."

"Right!" Megumin cheered.

* * *

"After all that we're still going into the Dungeon…?" Aqua groaned as they finished their run.

Kazuto retorted, "Of course. The training is to make it easier to get deeper into the Dungeon. So we'll be doing it every day."

"Evil NEET…"

"You'll be fine. My sister was a human and she could do it."

"I highly doubt that…"

* * *

The group then approached the Dungeon, however, as they did, Kazuto noticed Asuna nearby, clad in new equipment. "Huh? Asuna?"

Asuna stopped and turned to him curiously. "Oh, you're Kazuto, right?"

Kazuto nodded in reply. "I see you got a new outfit."

"Yeah. I even joined a Familia," she answered with a nod.

"Really? Which one?"

"The Loki Familia."

"Loki… that name sounds familiar. Well, I'll probably think of it later. Oh, there's something you should know. I met two other people from Japan. One of whom… you should probably avoid at all costs."

"Oh…?"

"Kyouya Mitsurugi, he's the one you should avoid," he explained before he noticed Asuna react with a visible cringe. "I… guess you know him?"

Asuna nodded with disgust evident in her eyes. "Yeah. He used to go to the same school as me. He got stabbed a few weeks ago when some guy his girlfriend cheating on him with Mitsurugi. Anyway, the other one?"

"Lisbeth. She's nice and a great blacksmith. She, unfortunately, died in SAO."

Asuna tilted her head in mild confusion. "In SAO? How?"

"Something happened in SAO. Something bad. I plan on getting up there to Aincrad to help. The only problem is that it's going to cost a lot of money to do it."

"I see… want me to check if Lady Loki will help?"

"Hm… sure, why not? I'll go ahead and see if Liz's deity might help too."

Asuna nodded in understanding. "Rig – wait… you got more members."

"Yeah, we did. I think you've already met Aqua. The others are Nabe, Megumin, and Darkness."

"I see." Asuna flashed a smile before heading towards one of the many doors surrounding the Dungeon's entrance. "Well I hope you're successful down there."

"Same to you. And good luck."

After she left, Wolbach spoke up. **' _I have an idea, my Lord._ '**

' _Oh?_ '

 **' _We exchange the Stones privately where Red and the others can't see and then, we teleport to Nazarick and grab half-again as much to bring back._ '**

Kazuto remained silent as he flattened his brow in disbelief.

 **' _… My Lord?_ '**

' _… Nothing._ '

The group then proceeded into the Dungeon and, as they walked through the First Floor, Kazuto turned to Darkness and urged, "Remember, don't get hit, Darkness."

"I shall not!" she responded valiantly.

"And for the love of Hestia try to hit something." He saw her pout at his words. He thought for a moment and then groaned. "Okay, if you can manage to avoid getting hit too much, I'll use the shock collar for an entire minute. And if you can strike at least half the enemies we come across I'll do it for five minutes."

"RIGHT!" she cheered, her face beaming in excitement.

Kazuto put a hand over his face in disbelief. ' _I can't believe I have to do this…_ '

 **' _I can't believe you're complaining so much,_ '** Wolbach chided. **' _You're thinking about it all wrong. You're looking at it as you hurting her, when for her it's the opposite. To her, what you're doing is actually a reward, pain is pleasure._ '**

' _Right… I don't get it…_ '

 **' _… You need training. After we're done down here we're going to Nazarick for a while to get you that training._ '**

* * *

The group continued down the Dungeon into the Second Floor, fighting numerous Kobolds and Goblins along the way.

Kazuto found himself surrounded by three Goblins, one smacking him in the arm with its club.

"First Aid!" Aqua called out as Kazuto fought, his injury vanishing as his body was bathed in gentle light.

Kazuto sighed before dodging a Kobold's bat, and then swung Excalibur at its heel, cutting the tendon and knocking it to the ground.

Darkness jumped in and slammed her sword down, splitting its head like a melon before its body crumbled into ashes.

Kazuto opened his mouth with a smile to compliment Darkness but stopped and furrowed his brow before sighing. In a stern voice, he shouted, "You can do better than that, Darkness!"

Darkness' face reddened and she stiffened her back. "Y – Yes, Master!"

The others merely stopped where they stood and stared at her, no one certain how to react, Darkness standing silently and whimpering.

"Wow…" Megumin muttered, breaking the silence.

Kazuto sighed and then added, "Though you're doing a whole lot better, Darkness."

She stiffened and turned away as her face reddened further. "Th – Thank you… l – let's continue. We still have several hours left."

"Right." He then turned his attention to Megumin and Aqua. "How are you two doing?"

Megumin nodded in response. "I'm okay, but I think Aqua's running low on mana."

Kazuto put a hand on his chin and looked around suspiciously. "Hm… then let's make camp here for a little bit."

"Right…" Aqua remarked with a sigh before plopping herself on the ground as Kazuto reached into the pack on his waist and pulled out several, carefully wrapped sandwiches.

Megumin took several bites of the food before blinking in surprise. "This bread's pretty good."

"Yeah…" Aqua muttered in surprise.

Darkness looked at her in mild confusion. "Don't you mean the sandwich?"

"It's bread with filling," Megumin noted flatly.

 **"Which is a sandwich,"** Wolbach corrected with mild annoyance.

"Humph. Well it's good."

"Thanks," Kazuto answered.

Megumin looked at him, surprised. "You made these?"

"Yes. It's simple but I did."

Aqua looked at it in thought. "… No wonder it tastes weird."

Kazuto tilted his head in thought. "Oh. Did I put too much cheese on it?"

Aqua twitched an eyebrow at him. ' _… That didn't make him mad?_ '

"But didn't you just say it was good?" Megumin challenged.

Aqua scrunched back slightly with red cheeks. "H – Huh? That was you, half-pint!"

Megumin backed away with a pout. "That was uncalled for…"

Kazuto narrowed his eyes as he continued to watch the girls.

Aqua frowned and scrunched up. "Stop looking at me like that, pervy NEET."

Kazuto simply sighed. "Right… let's head back out when we're done eating."

* * *

Kazuto slashed a large lizard in half as they proceeded through the halls before frowning. "The monsters don't seem too much stronger on the Second Floor. Let's head lower."

"Seriously…?" Megumin argued, exhausted.

"Yeah."

"It's already been six hours though…"

"It has?"

 **"Yes,"** Wolbach added. **' _Besides, we need to get you some training on how to be a dom. And fast._ '**

' _… Right…_ ' "Let's trade in the Crystals we've got and then head home."

"Finally!" Aqua cheered.

* * *

As they exited the Dungeon, Kazuto looked at the bag of loot they had with them. "Well… that went well. We got a lot of Crystals today. One of those Kobolds even managed to leave a claw behind."

Darkness nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We should make a lot of Vals with this haul."

* * *

Kazuto headed for the Guild while the others returned to the church, though when Kazuto walked up to Eina's desk, he noticed Luna waiting there instead. "Where's Eina?"

Luna noticed him and returned a smile. "She took the day off today because she wasn't feeling well. So, I'll be handling her clients for the rest of the day."

"Ah," he noted in disappointment.

Luna reached her hand toward him. "I'll go ahead and get these transferred for you."

"Thanks, Luna."

* * *

Shortly later, Luna returned with a tray of coins. "Here you go. Three hundred sixty Vals."

Kazuto looked at the money, slightly distraught. "… That's it?"

Luna smiled apologetically. "Sorry, some of the Stones you turned in were damaged."

"Right…" ' _Next stop, Liz's…_ '

* * *

"Hey Liz!" Kazuto called out loudly as he made his way into Liz's shop, causing her to stand up suddenly from her desk in shock.

"K – Kazuto!?"

"Yep, it's me," he remarked lightly as he approached the counter.

"Wh – What's up?" she sputtered, still slightly in shock. "What do you need?"

"I just want to ask something about your god."

Liz tilted her head slightly. "Lady Hephaestus?"

He nodded in affirmation. "Yeah. Think she would help me with something?"

Liz frowned uncertainly. "Well… maybe. If she does she'll charge you heavily for it, and that's if she even agrees to do it."

"Ah…"

"I mean, I can try and ask if you want. She doesn't show up at the Familia's base much though."

"I see. I'm asking because I want to get to Aincrad."

Liz gaped in disbelief. "S - Seriously...? You'd need some kind of teleportation magic or an airship to get there."

"Think your Familia can make one?"

Liz folded her arms in thought. "Maybe… with Hundred building knowledge, I might be able to speed up build time. But that's a _big_ maybe."

Kazuto gaped in shock. "… You can make CAs?"

Liz nodded with a smirk. "Yep. The gift I brought with me was the knowledge to make Hundreds."

"Wow…"

"Why? What'd you pick?"

Kazuto stiffened and looked away with embarrassment. "… Th – The goddess that reincarnated me…"

Liz flattened her gaze in astonishment. "You brought a goddess… to Orario?"

"Yep…" he answered with shame.

"Wow…"

Kazuto slumped his shoulders with embarrassment. "I know…" He then looked up at her and redirected, "So… can you at least try?"

"Sure, I'll give it a shot."

"Thanks."

Liz nodded with a smile. "Need anything else?"

Kazuto put a hand on his chin in consideration. "Hm… not really."

"Right, see you around."

* * *

Kazuto sighed as he walked out of the West gate of Orario towards Nazarick.

 **' _Heading back to Nazarick?_ ' **Wolbach questioned.

Kazuto nodded in reply. ' _Yeah. Going to get the equivalent to two hundred thirty Vals and then head home._ '

 **' _Dom training before that._ '**

Kazuto stopped where he stood and twitched an eyebrow.

 **' _What?_ '**

' _Do I really need to do that…?_ '

 **' _Yes,_ '** she answered firmly.

' _… Fine…_ '

* * *

Maou blinked with surprise as Kazuto entered the Throne Room. "Lord Momonga? Is something the matter? You didn't announce your arrival."

"I'm just here to withdraw some gold," he answered simply.

Unfortunately, Wolbach spoke up and interrupted his plans. **"He also needs Dom training, Sis."**

Maou tilted her head in thought. "Dom training? Hm… I don't really know what you're talking about, let me go get Lady Albedo."

Wolbach snickered lightly. **"Sure, she'd love teaching him to dominate her."**

* * *

Several minutes later, Maou returned with a smiling Albedo.

"You asked for me, Lord Momonga?" Albedo asked with anticipation.

Wolbach explained plainly, **"He needs to learn to be a dom."**

Albedo's eyes lit up with pure ecstasy. "Really!?"

 **"Yeah, so get to work."**

Albedo looked around and began fidgeting wildly. "A – Are you sure, Lord Momonga!? Wait, I need to bathe first! Unless you don't want me to. I need to prepare myself! Unless you want to take me right now! And…!"

Kazuto and Wolbach sighed as Albedo continued on and on.

 **' _You need to stop her,_ '** Wolbach urged.

' _How?_ ' Kazuto retorted. ' _When she gets like this, all I can do is let it run its course._ '

 **' _… Alright then, try this,_ '** she suggested before flowing an idea into his mind.

' _No._ '

 **' _Then she'll just keep babbling._ '**

Kazuto sighed in frustration. "Albedo! Silence!"

Albedo widened her eyes in surprise.

Kazuto stiffened in worry. ' _… Uh–oh… I think I pissed her off…_ '

 **' _Nope,_ '** Wolbach chirped.

Albedo smiled proudly. "My apologies. So, shall we move to your bedchambers?"

Kazuto gaped slightly in surprise. "… Sure."

* * *

Kazuto and Albedo made their way to Kazuto's room within Nazarick, a large, stone-walled room with a wide, long bed with curtains surrounding it in the center.

"So, Lord Momonga, have you ever had intercourse before?" Albedo questioned curiously as she sat next to him.

Kazuto stiffened and slumped his shoulders, his face turning red. "No. Not really."

Albedo squealed in joy. "I get to take your first time!?"

Kazuto stared in disbelief. "… Yes."

Albedo wrapped her arms around herself and trembled and wailed with excitement. "Oooohh…! That's so incredible I might climax right now!"

Kazuto inched away slightly. "… Geez…"

Albedo blinked in curiosity at his act. "Hm? Is something wrong, Lord Momonga?"

Kazuto shook his head in response. "No. But, I do have one request. Will you call me Kazuto instead of Momonga?"

Albedo frowned uncertainly. "Huh? But my Lord…"

Wolbach interjected in his mind. **' _This starts your training. Tell her she is going to call you Kazuto, with no room to argue._ '**

Kazuto furrowed his brow and then took a deep breath. "You _will_ call me Kazuto. No arguments!"

Albedo widened her eyes in surprise before nodding with a smile. "As you wish, Lord Kazuto."

"Good. So… what now…?"

Albedo smiled softly and began pulling her gloves from her long, slender arms before gently lifting the golden necklace off from her chest.

Kazuto took a long, nervous gulp as more of Albedo's fair skin became visible to him. ' _Okay… keep it together, keep it together…_ '

The raven-haired beauty's swollen globes shook as she pulled down on the top of her dress, the bright pink peaks growing visible to his eyes as the fabric dropped.

Kazuto's face turned deep red as he felt his trousers grow tighter. ' _Wh – Whoa… they're so… big…_ '

Albedo stood and withdrew her wings slightly, causing her dress to fall to the floor, pooling at her feet.

Kazuto's head went foggy as he saw Albedo's perfectly shaped mound, with pristinely smooth skin and a small slit where her garden hid.

"Lord Kazuto?" Albedo asked curiously with a wide, sweet smile. Seeing him remain still, blushing madly, Albedo giggled lightly in amusement. "I never would've thought you'd be this cute, my Lord," she cooed as she put a hand on his cheek before slowly slipping it down his neck, her fingers softly gliding over his skin.

Kazuto felt a shiver down his spine as Albedo's slender fingers moved across his shoulder, down his arm, and wrapped around his hand, her fair skin glistening in the dim light as she pulled his hand up slowly, her other hand slipping the fingerless glove from him. His heart stopped as she put his hand firmly against one of her orbs, her soft, warm skin pulsing against his hand.

Albedo let out a soft moan as his hand sunk into her breast, his fingers becoming wrapped in the firm flesh

Kazuto gave a dry gulp as he felt every pore in his body open, he could not believe the sensation as his hand squeezed her globe, the peak of her nipple pressing against the palm of his hand. ' _Th – This is… incredible…!_ '

As with his right hand, she grabbed his left and pressed it into her other lump. With a sensual smile, she explained, "Before you can be a proper dominant, you must first learn how to pleasure a woman."

Kazuto nodded slowly, his thoughts racing and swirling in his mind.

"So, tell me, my Lord, how much do you know about a woman's body?"

"N – Not much… I've seen… a little… but not in person…"

"Fufufu, then please, my Lord, explore my body as much as you like."

 **"This isn't really fulfilling the plan, Albedo,"** Wolbach chastised.

Albedo pouted in frustration. "Why don't we take this one step at a time? Lord Kazuto hasn't even experienced sex yet, I don't think now is the time to foist the responsibilities of a dom on him." She then turned her gaze back to the man in question with a smile. "Let's just let him have a little fun first."

 **"Fine, fine. I'll be quiet."**

Albedo nodded appreciatively and knelt down in front of the black-haired teen.

"A – Albedo?" Kazuto stammered in confusion.

"Since I'm more knowledgeable in this area, I suppose I'll take the lead."

Kazuto frowned slightly. "More… knowledgeable…?"

Albedo blinked in thought and then smirked in amusement. "I simply mean my creator, Tabula Smaragdina, imbued me with the knowledge of how to fully service a man, not that I've actually done it before. Were you actually worried I wasn't a virgin?"

Kazuto stiffened and looked to the side with an annoyed blush. "N – No… it's just…"

"Aw… you're so cute!" she squealed before pulling him into a powerful hug, burying his face in her bare cleavage.

' _Th – This feels… incredible!_ '

Albedo giggled once more before leaning down slightly to eye level with him. "Now, why don't we start with your first kiss?"

Kazuto wanted to ask what she meant but was not given time as she took advantage of his open mouth and pressed her lips against his, her tongue reaching out and caressing across his. ' _Wh – Whoa… her tongue feels… amazing… and the taste is insane…!_ '

With a light tug, she coaxed his tongue into her own mouth.

Kazuto acted on instinct and began playing in the beautiful woman's hole, his tongue exploring and caressing her gums, cheeks, and tongue fully. ' _I – If what she said is true, then… I'm the first person to get this close to Albedo like this… So then… her mouth is… mine… only mine…_ ' With those thoughts pumping through his mind, he acted. As his tongue explored and caressed hers, taking in the flavor of her warm mouth as much as possible, both hands reached for her bulging orbs. His right hand grabbed and squeezed her breast firmly, his fingers sinking into the soft flesh as he pulled and kneaded the wonderful mass underneath. His left hand, however, concentrated on her nipple, pinching and twisting the hardened peak, occasionally giving it a firm tug.

' _My, my, he has more knowledge than he betrays,_ ' Albedo thought with excited glee as every touch Kazuto gave her sent waves of heat through her body. ' _I'm getting so wet… his tongue… his hands… they're all making my body his for the first time… Though I suppose that without my intervention that's as far as he'll get…_ '

Kazuto continued his ministrations before she pulled away slightly, leaving him puzzled. "A – Albedo…? Did I do something wrong?"

Albedo, a stream of saliva, a mix of her own and Kazuto's, flowing down her chin, neck, and between the crevice of her breasts, shook her head with the same warm smile.

Kazuto gulped at the sight, her already stark white skin glowing brightly with sweat shimmering down her body.

"Not at all, my Lord. But I'd feel back if I were the only one feeling good. After all…" she trailed off, gently cupping a hand over his erection, hidden under his trousers, "it seems like you can't stand this much longer. So, now it's my turn to service you."

Kazuto merely nodded wordlessly as Albedo knelt before him once more, pulling at the tab of his zipper.

Albedo smiled with anticipation as she unleashed his penis, her golden eyes going wide as it stood in front of her, nearly tapping against her nose. "Oh my… it's much larger than I expected. And it's so… thick…" she mused, her face turning a deep red. Her slender fingers wrapped around the stiff mast in front of her and began stroking up and down its body, from just below the tip to just above the base. "It's so hot, and every move I make seems to cause it to twitch." She reached her hand to the top of his tool and lightly pressed her fingers, a clear fluid easing out. "So this is your cowper?" She craned her neck down and gave one quick stroke of her tongue.

Kazuto flinched as the new sensation sent heat through his body. "Wh – Whoa…"

"Whoa indeed," she cooed, savoring the flavor of his liquids. "It's rather bitter, but I love the taste."

He widened his eyes as she brought her melons up to his member, wrapping their soft warmth around him. "Guh…" he grunted.

"Hm? Cumming already?"

Kazuto trembled and attempted to restrain himself. "N – No…" he argued weakly, his voice straining.

"It's alright, my Lord. I'm sure you have a lot built up. It would be my honor to receive it all, in any hole you wish."

' _H – How does she expect me to hang on if she keeps saying stuff like that!?_ '

Reaching out her tongue, Albedo allowed some of her saliva to pour down to his cock, the juice acting as a lubricant as she began moving her breasts up and down, his tip periodically sinking beneath the canyon of cleavage before remerging, his precum and her saliva creating a potent mixture between her orbs. "It's throbbing so much. Do my breasts feel that good to you, my Lord?"

"Th – They feel… incredible…" he groaned, forcing the words from his throat as he sent more of his concentration to holding back his climax.

"Fufu, so cute. Are you restraining yourself for my sake? I suppose I'll have to play harder then," the black-haired beauty teased before opening her lips, taking his mass in as her breasts continued stroking up and down his length, her mouth moving along the top as her tongue coiled and pressed along it.

' _Crap…! This is it… I can't…!_ '

Albedo felt his staff begin to swell and gave him one final push, squeezing her globes in on him. Right on cue he burst, his thick semen gushing from his dick and into Albedo's awaiting mouth.

Kazuto's muscles stiffened as he groaned, feeling himself burst in her lips.

Albedo herself trembled and moaned, a thick spray of her nectar falling from her panties as she climaxed, his dick juice filling her mouth. ' _It's so thick and warm… the flavor is… perfect!_ ' She greedily swallowed every drop as each pulse of his cock sent more gushing to her throat. When the pulses finally stopped, Albedo released his staff from the grip of boobs and pulled away from him, keeping her mouth sealed tightly.

Kazuto, panting with exhaustion, noticed this curiously, his curiosity turning to shock as she opened her mouth, it filled, swimming with his cum. _His_ jizz in her mouth.

"Arh yu pweased, Lowd Kazto?" she asked with a slur, his seed pooling on her tongue.

He could do nothing but nod, his mind too amazed for words.

She smiled with glee and closed her lips, swirling and savoring the juice inside before gulping it all down with one last sigh. "You certainly came a lot, my Lord. And it was so… delicious."

Again, he sat silent in amazement.

"Hm?" Albedo cocked her neck to the side slightly in confusion before tapping him on the forehead, that being enough to bring him back.

"H – Huh?" he stuttered.

Albedo gave a small chuckle before leaning back and presenting her mound to him, it dripping and sopping with nectar. She pulled open her folds as a puff of steam escaped into the air. "This hole wants you as well, my Lord. It's already so wet."

His mouth gaped in awe, her pink folds before him, dripping, gushing with arousal, the flesh lightly pulsing as each drop flowed from her hole.

"Have you ever seen one before?"

He had a complex answer for her, but his mind being as it was, he simply gave a weak shake of his head.

Albedo returned a small grin. Pointing to the lowest hole in her pink garden, she explained, "This is the vagina, where you'll put your great mast, and where I'll receive your seed. This, is my clitoris, it is the most sensitive part of the body, if you give it a pinch, almost any girl is sure to climax immediately."

"I – Is that so…?" was the most complex sentence he could must.

Albedo smiled and stood up, her arousal leaving a streak to the floor. "I see that your mind is fixated on one thing. I suppose I should leave the learning for later, as you're already quite hard again."

Kazuto blinked curiously and looked down, seeing his pole once again standing firm. ' _H – Hey!? What gives? Last I checked, shouldn't it be limp?_ '

 **' _You're not human anymore, my Lord. Therefore, you've got as much cum as you do mana, and you can just keep going until it or your stamina gives out first. And by my memory, you've got a whole hell of a lot of both._ '**

' _O – Oh… right…_ '

"So? Shall we begin?" Albedo posited.

Kazuto stiffened as his focus returned to Albedo from Wolbach before nodding. "Y – Yeah. Let's."

"Very well. How about you lie down on the bed, my Lord?"

Kazuto glanced to the side and then nodded.

Moments later, the duo both fully out of their clothes, Albedo knelt in front of Kazuto, her garden impatiently awaiting the arrival of his hose. "Ready to begin, my Lord?"

Kazuto gave a nod as she lowered herself, her soft lips spreading as his mast pushed its way inside her, her folds coiling around him tightly.

"I – It looked big before… but it feels… so much bigger going in down there…" she commented with a mild tremble, her walls spreading the further he dove, before she dropped her hips suddenly, releasing a loud cry of pleasure and pain, her back arching wildly.

"A – Albedo!" Kazuto called with worry before seeing blood slowly trickle down from their connection.

Albedo jerks forward, steadying herself with her hands on Kazuto's strong torso. "I – I'm okay… Lord Kazuto… But… you have just taken… my virginity…" she gasped out. "It was such an exquisite mixture of agony and ecstasy that I reached climax. Again. My apologies."

"N – No need to… wait, again?"

Albedo pointed to her mouth. "Your seed filling my throat like that was such an immeasurable experience I came, and it seems I came again when your thick rod punctured my hymen."

"Are you… okay?"

She stroked his cheek gently with a small giggle. "No need to worry, it is simply part of the process. And now, for me to help you reach your climax, my Lord." Sitting herself back up straight, she began moving her hips up and down, bouncing along the length of Kazuto's dick, blood and pussy juice mixing with each drop as it was sent squelching out.

"It's… so tight… it feels like you're going to crush me…"

"On the contrary…" she argued with a flushed face and a shortness of breath. "It is not my pussy that is small, but your cock that is large. It's spreading the walls of my hole so much, that it will no doubt be shaped only for you, and sized only for your cock." Leaning down and putting a hand on his face as her hips continued moving, each drop of her pelvis pulling him deeper inside, she added, "So it is now your responsibility to fill me with your love, my Lord, as it is now truly impossible for any other to do so."

Kazuto smiled before nodding. "Well then let me get started." He put his hands firmly on her hips and began thrusting his own body up, suddenly forcing his tool to the base of its trunk into her pussy.

Albedo let out a loud cry of elation, a mindless smile on her lips, as she felt his dick reach all the way to the gate of her womb. "I – It's hitting in… so far…!" she exclaimed between gasps of lust. "You're reaching… my womb…! Hhaauu! With this… there's no doubt… I will… bear your child!"

Kazuto laughed weakly as his and Albedo's motions synced, his pole slamming up at the exact moment her hips dropped, forcing him against the gate of her uterus.

The raven beauty's strength left her as her senses began to go numb and she fell backward, Kazuto reacting instantly in accordance, bringing himself to a kneeling position in front of her, not missing a motion as he continued pounding into her. "I – I can't take it…! You're making my whole body tingle… every part of me is… getting so hot! Yyeess! Pound me deeper! Harder! I want you to make me your bitch!"

He replied with an exasperated sigh. "Well, if that's what you want…" He reached his hands up under her hips, and raised her waist and her pelvis into the air, swinging her legs forward and pointing her pussy straight into the air. "Then I'll make sure I get as deep as possible!" he shouted, his motions continuing with fervor.

"Hya! I can see it… the spot where we're connected! I can see your cock digging into my pussy perfectly!"

Kazuto thrust his body down into Albedo with greater force, his cock pounding against the innermost door of her body, her wings coiling up and wrapping around his waist, pulling him even tighter to her. "These things really do seem to move on their own," he remarked, one hand gripping the limb tightly.

Albedo's eyes shot wide and she grit her teeth as a surge of pleasure shot through. "M – My wing…! If you grab there… I'll…!"

"Oh? So this is your weak spot then? Good to know," he noted. With a near sadistic fervor, he released the hold on her hips and instead gripped her black, feathered wings harshly, pulling on them as he plowed into Albedo's body.

Her back arched and her voice became a high shriek, as all sensations left her mind besides pleasure. "I – If you keep grabbing like zhat… I'm going to go crazhy!"

Kazuto's mouth began to curl up in a smirk as he pulled harder on his wings to further plant his pole in her hole, her walls gripping him hard enough to nearly crush him. "Then do it."

"It'sh… sho tight… Yur cock ish… making a mesh of me…!" she cried out, her eyes fallen back and tongue hanging loosely from her mouth as Kazuto continued ramming deeper into her. "Aahhnn! If zhish keepsh up… I won'th be able to walk for daysh!"

"Then should I stop?" he retorted, his motions continuing unabated.

She forced her neck up, looking at him with a pout, though failing to pull her loosely hanging tongue back in. "Don'th be sho mean…"

Kazuto chuckled lightly as he continued thrusting deep into her, her tight warmth searing into his mind. "I have to say, I like this side of you. It's completely different from the dignified air you usually give off."

She returned a smile before crying out in ecstasy as his motions slowed, with each pump sending a hard jolt through her body. "Hhyyaauu! Jushth shay ith! I'm yur shluth! Yur whore!"

"I'd like to think you're at least a little better than that, Albedo. But if that's really all you're good for, then a whore you'll be!" He pulled himself nearly fully out of her mound before tugging her wings and thrusting his hips forward, burying him as deep as possible and slightly breaking through the entrance to her womb. Reaching his climax, he gushed his seed into her uterus.

Albedo trembled and moaned loudly as his fluid filled her. "Zhere'sh… sho mush… sho mush… shemen… filling my… my womb… Ith'sh sho… warm…"

Kazuto shivered as the last drops pulsed into her before he finally collapsed, falling next to her on the bed.

Wolbach sighed in exhaustion as she watched the display. **' _He certainly fell into the role of dom pretty damn easy… Oohh… what I wouldn't give to have my body back…_ '**

Albedo, her lover's spunk slowly trickling out of her pussy, rolled to the side and cuddle against him tightly. "That was incredible my Lord…"

Kazuto merely nodded silently, gasping from fatigue.

* * *

 **And cut! Thus ends the fourth chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure and its first lemon. I hope everyone enjoyed it, be sure to leave a review letting me know if you did. If you were confused, unsure, or had questions about anything not spoiler-related, leave your concerns in a review and I will do what I can to address them. If your query _is_ about spoilers, send me a PM to discuss the issue. If you did not enjoy the chapter, post a review if you must, but do try to have a point. I have nothing further to add, so until next time, bye-bye!**


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